EFFECTIVENESS OF PROPRIOCEPTIVE NEUROMUSCULAR FACILITATION AND DUAL TASK TRAINING IN PREVENTION OF FALLS AND TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG CEREBELLAR STROKE INDIVIDUALS

Cerebellar stroke is a type of posterior circulation stroke characterized by impaired
coordination, balance deficits, postural instability, and reduced motor control, often leading to increased
risk of falls and decreased quality of life. Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) enhances
balance and coordination by stimulating proprioceptors and promoting coordinated movement patterns,
whereas dual task training improves cognitive-motor integration and functional mobility. This
comparative study included 30 cerebellar stroke individuals aged 50–75 years who were randomly
allocated into two groups. Group A (n=15) received proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, while
Group B (n=15) received dual task training for 12 weeks. Balance was assessed using the Berg Balance
Scale (BBS), and quality of life was evaluated using the WHO-Quality of Life BREF Scale. Results
showed significant improvement in both groups; however, post-test comparison revealed higher mean
BBS scores in Group B (46.20±1.30) than Group A (42.60±1.90) (t=6.54, p<0.001). Similarly, WHO-QOL
BREF scores were significantly higher in Group B (72.80±3.10) compared to Group A (64.10±3.50)
(t=7.37, p<0.001), indicating greater effectiveness of dual task training. The findings suggest that dual
task training is more effective than proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation in preventing falls and
improving quality of life among cerebellar stroke individuals and can be recommended as an effective
rehabilitation strategy.