EFFECTS of OTAGO EXERCISES in ADDITION to ROUTINE PHYSICAL THERAPY on BALANCE and FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITIES in PATIENTS with STROKE.

"To improve the efficacy of the balance improvement intervention, we modified the OEP by incorporating the additional walking, recommended by the OEP guidelines, into a single exercise session and conducting it as a group exercise program in accordance with a previous meta-analysis (Chiu et al., 2021) . As shown in Figure 1, the modified-OEP group intervention consisted of 15 min of walking followed by a 30 min Otago Exercise Program consisting of balance and strength training, followed by another 15 min of walking. The 15 min walking was accomplished through continuous walking at an individual pace in the \~15m training room. Participants were asked to walk 15 m, make a U-turn towards the left side, walk 15 m, then make a U-turn towards the right side at the next turning point, in order to achieve an equivalent effect on the promoted benefit of symmetry when turning left and right.~This was repeated until the session was complete."

The routine care physical therapy session typically involves a variety of exercises aimed at general strengthening, stretching, and basic gait training. 1 hour of standard physiotherapy exercises focusing on general strengthening, stretching, and basic gait training. The session included a combination of exercises aimed at general strengthening, such as core stability exercises, muscle-strengthening exercises with weights or resistance bands and functional movements like squats and lunges. Stretching exercises targeting key muscle groups like hamstrings will be incorporated to improve flexibility and range of motion. Gait training will focus on activities like side lunges, step-ups, and balance exercises to enhance walking ability and postural control. Additionally, the plan emphasized progressive challenges incorporating a mix of static and dynamic balance exercises using tools like foam pads or balance boards.