The Effects of Visual and Cognitive Stimulus Training on Lower Limb Motor Function, Balance, and Gait in Stroke Patients

Stroke is one of the leading causes of mortality and disability worldwide, causing significant impairments in sensory and motor functions due to neurological damage. Stroke patients commonly experience unilateral paralysis, with over 40% continuing to have such impairments into the chronic phase, resulting in reduced lower limb function, decreased dynamic balance ability, and impaired gait performance. This study investigates the effects of a visual cognitive stimulation training (VCT) program on lower limb function, dynamic balance, and gait performance in stroke patients compared to conventional gait training (CGT). A total of 48 stroke patients were divided into two groups: visual cognitive training (VCT, n=23) and conventional gait training (CGT, n=25). Both groups underwent 30-minute sessions, five times a week, for four weeks. Outcomes were assessed using the Fugl-Meyer assessment for lower extremity (FMA-LE), Berg balance scale (BBS), 10-meter walking test (10MWT), and functional ambulation categories (FAC). Both groups showed significant improvements in lower limb function, dynamic balance, and gait performance (p<.01). The VCT group demonstrated superior results in dynamic balance (BBS, p<.05) and gait speed (10MWT, p<.05) compared to the CGT group. In conclusion, visual and cognitive stimulation training effectively enhances dynamic balance and gait speed in stroke patients, demonstrating superiority over conventional gait training.