Deans' stroke musings: Effect of Scapular and Pelvic Patterns of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation on Functional Mobility in Stroke Survivors

Changing stroke rehab and research worldwide now.Time is Brain! trillions and trillions of neurons that DIE each day because there are NO effective hyperacute therapies besides tPA(only 12% effective). I have 523 posts on hyperacute therapy, enough for researchers to spend decades proving them out. These are my personal ideas and blog on stroke rehabilitation and stroke research. Do not attempt any of these without checking with your medical provider. Unless you join me in agitating, when you need these therapies they won't be there.

What this blog is for:

My blog is not to help survivors recover, it is to have the 10 million yearly stroke survivors light fires underneath their doctors, stroke hospitals and stroke researchers to get stroke solved. 100% recovery. The stroke medical world is completely failing at that goal, they don't even have it as a goal. Shortly after getting out of the hospital and getting NO information on the process or protocols of stroke rehabilitation and recovery I started searching on the internet and found that no other survivor received useful information. This is an attempt to cover all stroke rehabilitation information that should be readily available to survivors so they can talk with informed knowledge to their medical staff. It lays out what needs to be done to get stroke survivors closer to 100% recovery. It's quite disgusting that this information is not available from every stroke association and doctors group.

Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Effect of Scapular and Pelvic Patterns of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation on Functional Mobility in Stroke Survivors

In the 15 years PNF has been suggested for stroke, there has been A MASSIVE FAILURE IN CREATING PROTOCOLS ON THIS! Whom do we contact to get this corrected? Hope their experience with stroke after they become the 1 in 4 per WHO that has a stroke! is appropriate comeuppance for their current failures to solve stroke!

PNF (13 posts to April 2011)

Effect of Scapular and Pelvic Patterns of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation on Functional Mobility in Stroke Survivors

Cite this article as: Jadhav D B, Kanase S (July 07, 2026) Effect of Scapular and Pelvic Patterns of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation on Functional Mobility in Stroke Survivors. Cureus 18(7): e112225. doi:10.7759/cureus.112225

Abstract

Introduction:

Stroke is a leading cause of adult disability worldwide, resulting in significant motor, sensory, and cognitive impairments that hinder independence and quality of life. Among the most debilitating consequences are impaired balance and an increased risk of falls, which contribute to reduced participation in daily activities, diminished self-confidence, and greater dependency. Hemiplegic gait patterns, postural instability, and impaired weight shifting are common, limiting functional recovery. Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), a rehabilitation technique aimed at enhancing neuromuscular control, joint mobility, and muscle strength, is widely used in stroke recovery.

Objective:

To evaluate the effect of scapular and pelvic patterns of PNF on functional mobility in stroke survivors.

Methods:

This was a quasi-experimental study conducted over six months in Karad. A total of 30 stroke patients were selected based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. Informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to enrollment. Group A received scapular and pelvic PNF along with conventional physiotherapy, while Group B received only conventional physiotherapy. The intervention was administered for six weeks, and outcome measures included Barthel Index (BI) and Stroke Impact Scale (SIS). Pre- and post-intervention assessments were performed to evaluate functional mobility.

Results:

Significant improvements were observed in both groups following treatment; however, Group A demonstrated greater improvement compared to Group B. Among the 30 stroke survivors, functional mobility and independence improved following intervention: in Group A (scapular-pelvic PNF), BI scores increased from 55.2 ± 8.4 to 75.6 ± 7.5, with a mean difference of 20.4 and a p-value of <0.0001, while Group B (control) improved from 56.0 ± 7.9 to 66.8 ± 8.1, showing a mean difference of 10.8 and a p-value of 0.0002. SIS scores showed similar trends: Group A increased from 52.4 ± 9.1 to 73.8 ± 8.2 (mean difference 21.4) with a p-value of <0.0001, and Group B from 53.1 ± 8.5 to 65.6 ± 9.0 (mean difference 12.5) with a p-value of 0.0003.

Conclusion:

Stroke survivors who received scapular-pelvic PNF demonstrated significant improvements in functional mobility and independence, while the control group showed moderate gains. These findings suggest a potential benefit of targeted PNF intervention in enhancing post-stroke recovery and provide preliminary evidence supporting further investigation.