Effect of Class Circuit Therapy on Balance and Gait in Hemiparetic Patients

Abstract

Background: Hemiplegia occurs when brain tissue is damaged on one side of the body but not the other. Stroke survivors commonly have difficulties with balance and walking. For stroke patients with hemiparesis, Class Circuit Therapy (CCT) is a form of task-specific training (TST) that comprises practicing in a circuit-like pattern. The study’s objective was to assess how Class Circuit Therapy affected the balance and gait of hemiparetic cases. Methods: One hundred forty hemiparetic patients from the Out Patient Department, Krupanidhi College of Physiotherapy, home care facilities, and hospitals in and around Bengaluru. Forty-eight people were evaluated, and those who met the selection criteria for the study. Over six weeks, the group underwent Class Circuit Therapy five times for forty-five minutes each. Gait was evaluated using the Functional Ambulation Category, while the balance was evaluated using the Balance Evaluation Systems Test. Findings: The intervention group demonstrated better improvement in gait performance for the Functional Ambulation Category and Balance in all aspects of the Balance Evaluation Systems Test, including biomechanical constraints, stability limits, transitions, reactive, sensory orientation, and gait stability, after completing the 6-week of intervention. Novelty and applications: The study concludes that class circuit therapy improves balance and gait performance, generates a competitive and supportive environment, promotes social contact among stroke patients, and enhances their skills and confidence.