Effects of shoulder strapping in patients with stroke: A randomised control trial

Effectiveness of Shoulder Taping in Treating Hemiplegic Shoulder Subluxation: A Randomized Controlled Study of 35 Patients

BACKGROUND Shoulder subluxation in patients with stroke impairs recovery and quality of life. Kinesiology tape is elastic and water-resistant, is commonly used to prevent musculoskeletal injury, and is increasing in use for rehabilitation of patients requiring neurological or physical rehabilitation. This study included 35 patients with shoulder subluxation following stroke and aimed to compare outcomes from standard physical therapy with and without shoulder kinesiology taping. MATERIAL AND METHODS This randomized controlled study involved 35 participants. The patients were randomized into a shoulder kinesiology taping group (n=18) or sham taping group (n=17). All patients underwent a conventional rehabilitation exercise program 5 days a week for 6 weeks. Half of the patients underwent shoulder kinesiology taping, and the other half underwent sham taping. Pre- and post-assessment scores were recorded for all participants for shoulder subluxation distance (SSD), active range of motion (AROM), visual analog scale (VAS), shoulder pain and disability index (SPADI), and modified Barthel index (MBI). RESULTS After the intervention, SSD, AROM, VAS, SPADI, and MBI improved significantly in the shoulder kinesiology taping and sham taping groups (P<0.05). Also, the shoulder kinesiology taping group showed more effective changes in SSD, AROM, VAS, SPADI, and MBI than the sham taping group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that the shoulder kinesiology taping is effective in improving SSD, AROM, VAS, SPADI, and MBI in patients with hemiplegic shoulder subluxation.

Functioning Problems Associated with Health Conditions with Greatest Disease Burden in South Africa: A Scoping Review

A notable rise in health-related disability for which evidence-based rehabilitation is beneficial is evident in low-to-middle income countries. This scoping review aimed to systematically identify and map the most common functioning problems associated with health conditions that contribute most to disability in South Africa using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework. Peer-reviewed evidence published from January 2006 to December 2021 was systematically searched from five databases. Some 268 studies reporting on functioning problems (impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions) in South African adults (>18 years) related to 10 health conditions were included. A total of 130 different functioning problems were mapped to the ICF. The most prevalent problems (top 20) were related to mobility, pain, and mental health but spanned across several ICF domains and were mostly in patients at primary care. The high prevalence and wide range of functioning problems may be particularly burdensome on an already strained primary health care (PHC) system. This points towards targeted planning of innovative strategies towards strengthening rehabilitation service delivery at primary care to address these complexities where there is an inadequate rehabilitation workforce.

Current stroke rehabilitation services and physiotherapy research in South Africa

Background

Stroke is one of the most common causes of morbidity and disability in South Africa, with the burden of stroke particularly high in rural South Africa.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to collate South African (SA) physiotherapy stroke rehabilitation research.

Method

A narrative review of physiotherapy stroke rehabilitation research conducted within the last 10 years in South Africa.

Results

Stroke survivors in South Africa have poor functional ability at discharge from the hospital and have poor access to transport, work and education. Their caregivers experience strain and have a poor quality of life. Inpatient rehabilitation services focus on the medical model approach and patients are discharged into family care because of limited rehabilitation facilities. Physiotherapy interventions found to be effective in SA studies: longitudinal shoulder strapping, balance exercises in the community, task-orientated circuit gait training, saccadic eye movement training with visual scanning exercises for unilateral spatial neglect and workplace intervention programmes to increase return to work after stroke. Caregiver education alone and use of pictorial exercise programmes does not improve patients’ functional ability and adherence to home exercise programmes, respectively.

Conclusion

There is a need to focus physiotherapy stroke rehabilitation on barriers that hinder full social integration of the patient, including return to work and improving carer support. Most research reviewed focused on description of the problems experienced; however, more intervention studies are now underway to develop context-specific interventions with feasible treatment intensity, frequencies and equipment requirements. Future research should explore new ways of improving post-discharge rehabilitation services. Examples of intervention research that may be beneficial in a SA context are mirror therapy, mental practice and patient-directed activities in rehabilitation.

Clinical implications

Knowledge of interventions that were found to be effective in this context will encourage clinicians to translate these findings into practice. Noting that outcome measures that are core for stroke rehabilitation are not included in some projects may remind researchers to consider them to make comparisons between different research projects.