Programme de réhabilitation combinant physiothérapie et massage thérapeutique sur la récupération fonctionnelle des sujets victimes d’Accident Vasculaire Cérébral

Abstract

The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a rehabilitation program combining physiotherapy and therapeutic massage on the functional recovery of patients who suffered a Stroke (Cerebrovascular Accident, CVA) in Burundi, receiving treatment either at the LANA Neurology Clinic or at the Prince Louis Rwagasore Clinic. This is a quasi-experimental study adopting a mixed-method approach that integrates both quantitative and qualitative analyses. The study population consisted of individuals who had experienced a stroke. The sample included 20 post-stroke patients admitted to the “LANA” Neurology Clinic in Bujumbura and the Prince Louis Rwagasore Clinic, selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through a field experiment conducted in the two aforementioned clinics, by applying a treatment program that combined physiotherapy and massage therapy over a period of 12 weeks, with three sessions per week. Data analysis involved normality test, paired-samples T-test, and descriptive statistics, using SPSS software version 23. The results revealed a significant improvement in the strength of both upper and lower limbs with a P-value [P = 0.000 < 0.05], restoration of walking time with a p-value [p = 0.000 < 0.05], a significant increase in the walking distance with a P-value [P = 0.000 < 0.05], as well as a remarkable improvement in motor abilities and cognitive functions. In summary, the combined program of physiotherapy and massage therapy plays an important role in enhancing biomotor and cognitive capacities in post-stroke patients.