ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Neurol.
Sec. Stroke
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fneur.2025.1554384
This article is part of the Research TopicBridging The Gap of Unmet Need in Stroke Care in Developing CountriesView all 11 articles
Effect of PDCA-Optimized Good Limb Positioning on Hemiparetic Rehabilitation Outcomes in Acute Cerebral Infarction
Provisionally accepted
- Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
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Background: Proper limb positioning plays a vital role in the early rehabilitation of patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI), preventing complications such as muscle atrophy and joint contractures while promoting functional recovery. However, inconsistent implementation limits its effectiveness. This study evaluates the impact of the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle management model in optimizing good limb positioning and improving rehabilitation outcomes. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted involving 300 hemiplegic ACI patients, with 150 patients receiving standard limb positioning care (control group) and 150 patients treated using the PDCA-optimized protocol (intervention group).The study was approved by The Ethics Committee of Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University (approval number: 20241104006). Outcomes included adherence rates, self-efficacy, quality of life (SF-36), activities of daily living (ADL), and secondary complications such as limb spasticity.Results: The intervention group demonstrated significantly higher adherence rates (88.0% vs. 48.0%, P < 0.001) and improved rehabilitation outcomes, including increased self-efficacy (25.0 vs. 17.0, P < 0.001), better quality of life (66.5 ± 13.8 vs. 61.7 ± 17.2, P < 0.001), and enhanced ADL scores (62.2 ± 10.2 vs. 52.8 ± 9.9, P < 0.01). Median hospital stay was reduced (10 days vs. 12 days, P = 0.001), and limb spasticity incidence was lower in the intervention group (P = 0.001). No significant differences in discharge NIHSS scores were observed.The PDCA cycle significantly enhances the implementation of good limb positioning, improving functional recovery, reducing secondary complications, and optimizing rehabilitation timelines for ACI patients. This study highlights the utility of PDCA in standardizing care practices and promoting better clinical outcomes. Further research should explore its broader application in diverse clinical settings.
Keywords: Acute cerebral infarction, good limb positioning, PDCA cycle, Early Rehabilitation, functional recovery
Received: 02 Jan 2025; Accepted: 16 May 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 He, Liu, Yao and Song. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Xin He, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
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