• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.145-152
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• 2022

Stroke results in balance disorders, these directly affect autonomy and gait ability. The aim of this meta-analysis was to determine the efficacy of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation on balance and gait. We included all randomized controlled trials assessing the efficacy of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation on balance and gait control in patients after stroke. This study was conducted according to the PRISMA guideline. Cochrane library, CINAHL, and PubMed were searched for studies published up to November 2021, and all randomized controlled trails(RCT) assessing PNF therapy were included. This analysis included only RCT. A total of 18 studies were selected from 1091 records obtained from the databases. The meta-analysis was performed using the R project for statistical computing version 4.0.2. The overall intervention effect was middle (standardized mean difference (SMD): 0.56) Additionally, berg balance scale (SMD: 0.48), functional reach test (SMD: 0.51), timed up and go test (SMD: 0.78), 10m walking test (SMD: 0.52), and dynamic gait index (SMD: 0.33) had medium effect sizes. The average Pedro scale was 6.63 out of 18, with a low risk of bias. These findings indicate that PNF is an effective therapy for improving balance gait in stroke patients.