Beneficial effects of postural intervention on prehensile action for an individual with ataxia resulting from brainstem stroke

Primary objective: This paper examined the effectiveness of postural training on upper extremity performance in an ataxic individual. The ataxia resulted from a brain stem stroke. Research design: Before-after, single-subject experimental design. Experimental intervention: Four-week course of postural training, comprised of three one-hour sessions/week. Main outcomes and results: The patient demonstrated an increase in function of the ataxic limb, as evidenced by appreciable increases in the Fugl-Meyer score and modest increases in the Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients (PASS) score. Conclusions: Improvement in postural control influences upper extremity function affecting the speed and accuracy of the movement. We demonstrate the effectiveness of using postural training as an intervention towards reducing the effects of ataxia, a movement coordination impairment for which relatively few therapeutic techniques have been specifically developed or evaluated.