COMPARATIVE EFFECTIVENESS OF STRETCHING EXERCISES AND WEIGHT BEARING EXERCISES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF POST-STROKE SPASTICITY

BackgroundStroke is one of the most common causes of long-term disability and is frequently associated withspasticity resulting from upper motor neuron lesions. Spasticity interferes with voluntary movement,reduces functional ability, and limits independence in activities of daily living. Physiotherapy plays a majorrole in managing spasticity and improving functional outcomes. Among the various rehabilitationtechniques, stretching exercises and weight bearing exercises are widely used to reduce muscle tone andenhance motor recovery. However, there is still a need to determine which intervention provides greaterclinical benefit in patients with post stroke spasticity.ObjectiveTo compare the effectiveness of stretching exercises and weight bearing exercises in reducing spasticityand improving health related quality of life in patients with post stroke spasticity.MethodsA comparative experimental study was conducted on fifty patients diagnosed with post stroke spasticity.Participants were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were divided into two groupsconsisting of twenty five subjects each. Group A received stretching exercises while Group B receivedweight bearing exercises. The Modified Ashworth Scale was used to assess spasticity and the HealthRelated Quality of Life questionnaire was used to evaluate the well-being of the participants. Pre-treatmentand post-treatment assessments were conducted and the collected data were analyzed using statisticalmethods.ResultsBoth groups demonstrated improvement after the intervention period. The stretching exercise groupshowed reduction in muscle tone and improvement in functional health status. However, the weight bearingexercise group showed greater improvement in Modified Ashworth Scale scores and better improvement inHRQOL outcomes. These findings suggest that weight bearing exercises may be more effective inmanaging spasticity compared to stretching exercises alone.ConclusionBoth stretching exercises and weight bearing exercises are beneficial in the management of post strokespasticity. However, weight bearing exercises demonstrated greater improvement in reducing muscle toneand improving quality of life. Incorporating weight bearing exercises into stroke rehabilitation programsmay enhance functional recovery.