Effectiveness of autogenic relaxation training in addition to usual physiotherapy on emotional state and functional independence of stroke survivors

INTRODUCTION: The occurrence of post-stroke emotional problems is significant during the early post-stroke stage and affects the recovery of functionality among the survivors. Because stroke survivors require active engagement in rehabilitation to optimize the process of neuroplasticity in the initial stage of stroke, there is a need to integrate an intervention, preferably therapists-mediated during rehabilitation, which reduce emotional problems thus improve motivation level among the survivors. One such technique is autogenic relaxation training (ART). ART has been found to reduce anxiety and depression among patients with several medical conditions. However, its usage in stroke survivors during rehabilitation has been limited to date. Therefore, this study is intended to evaluate the effectiveness of ART in addition to usual physiotherapy in improving emotional state and functional level of stroke survivors during rehabilitation. METHODS: This is an assessor blinded randomized controlled trial comparing 2 intervention approaches namely ART-added physiotherapy (experimental group) and usual physiotherapy (control group). A total of 70 post-stroke patients will be recruited and allocated into either the ART-added physiotherapy or the usual physiotherapy group. The ART-added physiotherapy group will undergo a 20-minute ART session followed by 40 minutes of usual physiotherapy. While the usual physiotherapy group will receive usual physiotherapy alone for 60 minutes. All participants will be treated once a week and are required to carry out a set of home exercises for 2 times per week during the 12-week intervention. Assessment of emotional status and functional independence will be carried out at pre-intervention and week 13 of the intervention with the use of Hospital anxiety and depression scale, Barthel index, and EuroQol-5 dimensions-5 levels. All data will be analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. DISCUSSION: The expected main study outcome is an enhanced evidence-based physiotherapy program that may be used by physiotherapists in the rehabilitation of stroke patients with emotional disturbances. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12619001664134 (last updated on 28/11/2019).