Neuroathletic training in stroke rehabilitation? A single-blind randomized controlled pilot study on the potentials of neuroathletic training on balance ability in stroke outpatient rehabilitation

Recently, neuroathletic training has been increasingly applied in competitive sports, in therapy, and in prevention.
Scientific evidence on the effectiveness of this approach, however, has been poorly developed. Potentials of neuro-
pathologic perceptual exercises to potentially improve balance control in the context of movement therapy in stroke
rehabilitation appear promising. To investigate the possible effects of neuroathletic exercises on the balance abil-
ity of poststroke patients with ischemic infarcts and intracerebral hemorrhages, a controlled trial of a standardized
protocol of daily neuroathletic exercises compared to traditional movement therapy during a four-week period
of medical rehabilitation was conducted (n = 19). Patients were assessed with the Berg-Balance Scale (BBS), which rep-
resents the Gold standard for clinical measurement of balance. The results of the prepost BBS measurement showed
significant balance improvements in the intervention and control groups, whereas the intervention group reached
a higher total score by half the size of the standard deviation. A comparison of the results of both groups supported
the general effectiveness of movement therapy for improving balance in stroke rehabilitation. However, neuroathletic
training exercises did not lead to a stronger effect. Moreover, the intervention group did not score significantly lower
than the control group. A negative influence can therefore not be assumed. For further investigations of neuroath-
letic training compared to treatment-as-usual training to improve balance in stroke rehabilitation, additional studies
with larger sample sizes and longer treatment periods should be conducted.