Group Telerehabilitation to Improve Balance and Mobility in Patients After Stroke Performed at Home - A Feasibility and Pilot Study

Q: What is the study’s purpose regarding telerehabilitation after stroke?

To evaluate adherence, safety, usability and enjoyment, and to estimate preliminary clinical effects of remote home-based group training for balance and mobility in chronic-stage patients after stroke.

Q: Who participated and what training schedule was used?

Community-dwelling patients in the chronic stage after stroke who walked independently and had mild balance deficits. Over 6 weeks, they completed 60-minute sessions twice a week in a group from their home.

Q: Which outcomes improved after the remote group training?

Primary outcomes improved significantly, including mini-BESTest, 10MWT fast walking speed, and 5TSTS (all p < 0.001), and these improvements persisted six weeks after training. Secondary outcomes showed no significant changes.

Sep 30, 2026

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Telerehabilitation supports remote treatment, yet evidence on group training delivered in patients’ home settings after stroke remains limited. This feasibility and pilot study evaluated adherence, safety, usability and enjoyment, along with preliminary clinical effects of home-based remote group training for balance and mobility in chronic-phase stroke survivors. Community-dwelling participants completed 60-minute group sessions twice weekly for 6 weeks, with outcomes assessed before, immediately after, and 6 weeks later.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages13

Reading Time33 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Article Group Telerehabilitation to Improve Balance and Mobility in Patients After Stroke Performed at Home: A Feasibility and Pilot Study Metka Moˇcilar 1,2, Nataša Bizoviˇcar 1 and Urška Puh 1,2, * Academic Editor: Daniele Giansanti Received: 8 December 2025 Revised: 28 December 2025 Accepted: 31 December 2025 Published: 4 January 2026 Copyright: © 2026 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. 1 University Rehabilitation Institute, Republic of Slovenia—Soˇca, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; [metka.mocilar@ir-rs.si](metka.mocilar@ir-rs.si) (M.M.); [natasa.bizovicar@ir-rs.si](natasa.bizovicar@ir-rs.si) (N.B.) 2 Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia * [Correspondence: urska.puh@ir-rs.si](Correspondence: urska.puh@ir-rs.si) Abstract Background/Objectives: Telerehabilitation is intended for remote treatment, but studies on group training after stroke performed in the patient’s home have not yet been conducted. The purpose of this study was to evaluate adherence rates, safety, usability and enjoyment and preliminary clinical effects of home-based remote group training for balance and mobility in chronic stage after stroke. Methods: Community-dwelling patients in chronic stage after stroke who walked independently and had mild balance deficits participated. Over a 6-week period, they completed 60-min sessions of balance and mobility training twice a week in a group from their home. Adherence rates, adverse events and technical problems were recorded. Participants’ satisfaction was assessed using Modified Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale. The primary outcomes were Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (mini-BESTest), 5TSTS and 10MWT and secondary outcomes were limits of stability, weight-bearing symmetry and Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC Scale), measured before, immediately after and six weeks after remote group training. Results: Participants expressed a very high level of satisfaction with training. There were no adverse events and dropouts, but some minor technical challenges. Results showed significant improvements in primary outcomes (mini-BESTest, 10MWT fast walking speed, 5TSTS; all p < 0.001), however there were no significant improvements in secondary outcomes (weight-bearing symmetry, limits of stability and ABC Scale) . All improvements persisted six weeks after training. Conclusions: Remote group training at home is feasible, safe and efficient to improve balance and mobility in patients in the chronic phase after stroke. Keywords: telerehabilitation; remote training; stroke; chronic phase; balance; mobility 1. Introduction Motor impairments after stroke can manifest as limitations in mobility and balance control [1] . Regaining mobility is a priority for stroke patients as it is important for independence in activities of daily living [2] . In about one-fifth of chronic post-stroke patients, mobility status deteriorates significantly one year after stroke [3] . Impaired balance control and mobility problems are risk factors for falls in community dwelling stroke survivors [4], with ambulatory survivors more likely to fall than those with more limited mobility [5] . Even individuals in the chronic phase after a mild stroke show persistent balance limitations and have an increased risk of falls [6] . Targeted exercise therapy programs, specifically, balance and/or functional weightshifting training, have been shown to be successful training regimens to improve balance capacities in the chronic phase post-stroke [7] . As studies that have assessed improvement in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) [8] component of body functions and structures are rare, it is not yet clear whether improvement in balance in the chronic phase o

FAQs

What is the study’s purpose regarding telerehabilitation after stroke?

To evaluate adherence, safety, usability and enjoyment, and to estimate preliminary clinical effects of remote home-based group training for balance and mobility in chronic-stage patients after stroke.

Who participated and what training schedule was used?

Community-dwelling patients in the chronic stage after stroke who walked independently and had mild balance deficits. Over 6 weeks, they completed 60-minute sessions twice a week in a group from their home.

Which outcomes improved after the remote group training?

Primary outcomes improved significantly, including mini-BESTest, 10MWT fast walking speed, and 5TSTS (all p < 0.001), and these improvements persisted six weeks after training. Secondary outcomes showed no significant changes.

Sep 30, 2026

Upload by Patrick