Effects of a sitting boxing program on upper limb function, balance, gait, and quality of life in stroke patients.

BACKGROUND

Boxing training including traditional stretching, muscular strength training, and duration training would be considered to be effective for improved functional stretching, dynamic balance, walking speed, and quality of life.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to investigate upper limb function, balance, gait, and quality of life in stroke patients before and after a sitting boxing program.

METHODS

Twenty-six participants were randomly allocated to a boxing group (n = 13) and control group (n = 13) after the upper limb function, balance, gait, and quality of Life were recorded. The boxing group underwent a sitting boxing program (3 times/week) as well as conventional physical therapy (3 times/week) for 6 weeks. The control group only underwent conventional physical therapy (3 times/week) for 6 weeks.

RESULTS

The Manual Functional Test (MFT), non-affected hand grip, Berg Balance Scale (BBS), velocity moment with eye opened, 10-m Walk Test (10 MWT), and Stroke-Specific Quality of Life questionnaire (SS-QOL) were significantly improved in the boxing group (p < 0.05) and showed significantly greater improvements in the boxing group compared to the control group (p < 0.05) after 6 weeks.

CONCLUSIONS

The sitting boxing program group had positive effects on upper extremity function, balance, gait, and quality of life in stroke patients.