Effect of Forward Reaching With a Modified Sitting Position on Muscle Contraction in the Paretic Lower Extremity of Individuals in the Early Sub-Acute Phase of Stroke: A Randomized Control Trial

Introduction Forward reaching in sitting has been shown to facilitate muscle contraction in the paretic lower limb of stroke survivors. Change in the sitting surface has been shown to alter the contribution of lower extremity muscles to maintain postural control. This study investigated the effect of forward reaching in a modified sitting position on the paretic lower extremity muscles of patients with stroke. Methods First-time cerebral stroke survivors in their early sub-acute phase were randomly allocated to the experimental or control group. The experimental group engaged in training sessions focusing on reaching a target while seated with only the paretic foot placed on a support, whereas the control group performed the same task with both feet supported on the surface. Each group completed three sets of 10 repetitions of forward reaching for eight days as a part of the training. Quadriceps and tibialis anterior muscle activity in the paretic leg were measured using surface electromyography before the first and after the last session of intervention. Statistical analysis was conducted using parametric tests with a significance level set at p < 0.05. Results Sixty-three subjects completed the study, with 31 in the experimental group and 32 in the control group. The results of the post-intervention analysis indicated a statistically significant increase in the EMG activity of the tibialis anterior and quadriceps muscle surfaces in both groups (p < 0.001). Notably, the experimental group exhibited significantly higher muscle activity in both quadriceps and tibialis anterior compared to the control group (p < 0.001). Conclusion Forward reaching with only the paretic lower limb grounded effectively improves quadriceps and tibialis anterior muscle recruitment in the early sub-acute phase of stroke.