Background: Neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT) and Dynamic neuromuscular stabilization (DNS)-based exercise is effective for improving core stability and postural control in stroke patients.
Objective: To compare the effects of DNS and conventional NDT exercises on diaphragm movement, abdominal muscle thickness, and postural control in stroke patients.
Methods: The participants were randomly allocated into DNS (n = 16) and NDT (n = 15) for 30 minutes each per day, 3 days a week for 4 weeks. Diaphragm movement and abdominal muscle thickness were determined using ultrasonography. The trunk impairment scale (TIS) and Berg Balance Scale (BBS) were used to measure postural control. The functional ambulation category (FAC) was used to evaluate gait ability. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to evaluate post-test differences in the DNS and NDT exercise groups.
Results: ANCOVA revealed the superior effects of DNS in diaphragm movement and abdominal muscle thickness (transversus abdominis, internal oblique), as well as clinical BBS and FAC tests, compared with those of NDT (p < 0.05).
Conclusions: This novel clinical trial suggests that DNS training was more effective than NDT training in improving postural movement control and gait ability via a balanced co-activation of the diaphragm and TrA/IO in stroke patients.
Keywords: Diaphragm movement; core stabilization; dynamic neuromuscular stabilization; subacute stroke.