Comparison of Task Specific Training Vs Neuro Developmental Training Approach Along with Conventional Therapy for Upper Limb Motor Function Among Chronic Stroke Patients

Objective The purpose of the study is to determine the effect of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Vs Balance Exercise along with Conventional Therapy for balance and gait in Chronic Parkinson’s patients. Study Design Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT). Place and Duration of study This study took place in Lahore, Pakistan and the duration of the study was 6 months. Method This study is a Randomized Controlled Trial utilized a non-probability purposive sampling technique, the primary outcome measure was Berg Balance Scale and Functional Gait Assessment which were used to check the balance and gait. The findings were then statistically analysed by non parametric tests Mann Whitney U Test and Friedman Test were used for between group and within the group comparisons respectively. Results A total of 60 patients participated in the study among which after randomized allocation of 30(50%) in PNF group and 30(50%) in Balance T group. The data shows that there is a big difference mean value difference between the two groups i.e. Balance T group showed better results than the PNF group and the p value is 0.000 which is less than 0.05 hence suggesting that the difference between both the experimental the groups after 12 weeks is highly significant. Hence we are rejecting the Null hypothesis and accepting the alternating hypothesis. . The data shows that there is a difference mean value difference between the two groups i.e. Balance T group showed better results than the PNF group and the p value is 0.492 which is more than 0.05 hence suggesting that the difference between both the experimental the groups after 12 weeks is non-significant. Hence we are rejecting the Alternate Hypothesis and accepting the Null Hypothesis. Conclusion Both of the treatment approaches have proven to be effective in treatment of balance of lower limb among chronic Parkinson’s patients but the Balance Exercises has proven to be significantly more effective than of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation and show effective results in the treatment of balance more efficiently but among two of these treatment strategies none of them has been proven to be better than other for gait. Discussion In the current study where PNF and Balance exercise are compared to each other shows that Balance exercise is highly effective for the treatment of balance in chronic Parkinson’s patients as compared to PNF. However Del Carmen et.al. Conducted a research in 2019 i.e. “the development of ballet exercises with Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation techniques for patients with Parkinson’s disease” which indicated that of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation technique also improve balance and gait in Parkinson’s disease patients [1].