Background:
Stroke is the leading cause of serious, long-term disability among adults. Balance control after stroke may be affected due to motor impairment such as muscle weakness, spasticity and impaired sensory function and also cognitive deficits may affect balance control. The balance limitations affect walking and independence in activities of daily living. Having good balance has been described as an important factor in outdoor walking and for participation in exercises. Studies in which persons with stroke describe their experience of balance in everyday life are scarce.
Purpose:
The aim of the present presentation is to describe experiences of living with balance limitations in everyday life after first-ever stroke.
Methods:
Twenty persons initially agreed to participate; however, one person later declined further participation, thus giving a sample size of 19 participants (10 females and 9 men), aged between 42-92 years. The inclusion criteria were: having had a first-ever stroke and having self-reported impaired balance, unaffected speech, independence in toileting and dressing, and walking ability indoors and outdoors with or without a walking aid. A qualitative data collection through individual interviews was conducted. Data was analysed by means of an inductive content analysis covering both the manifest and the latent content of the transcribed interviews.
Results:
The participants' experiences of balance and its influence in everyday life, are presented in two themes. The first theme “Feeling dizzy and unstable is a continuous challenge”, revolves around participants' descriptions of balance as a constant feeling of dizziness and unsteadiness. The second theme “Feeling trust and confidence despite dizziness and unsteadiness” is about perceived abilities and feelings of confidence about still being able to do things oneself, despite the dizziness and unsteadiness.
Conclusion(s):
All participants experienced the balance limitations as a continuous challenge in everyday life, yet they also felt trust and confidence and experienced that they still managed their everyday life. In future research it would be of interest to establish which strategies can make persons with stroke feel in balance in relation to fear of falling.
Implications:
In physical therapy practice, the experiences of balance limitations after stroke from the person with stroke add valuable information to various assessments. By asking the person about their abilities and challenges in daily living, rehabilitation interventions can be more individualized and based on the person's actual condition and their wishes and needs.
2023.