Objective To investigate the effects of trunk control training in patients with hemiplegia after cerebral infarction. Methods A retrospective matched study design was used to select patients with hemiplegia after cerebral infarction in the recovery period who received rehabilitation treatment in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from August 2023 to January 2026. A total of 50 patients who had received conventional rehabilitation, task-oriented mirror therapy, and trunk control training were selected as the combined group, and 50 patients who had received conventional rehabilitation and task-oriented mirror therapy alone during the same period were selected as the control group. The scores of Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) upper limb part, motor assessment scale (MAS) upper limb part, manual muscle strength (MMT), trunk impairment scale (TIS) and modified Barthel index (MBI) of the two groups before intervention and after 8 weeks of continuous intervention were extracted. Results After 8 weeks of intervention, the upper limb movement, trunk function and MBI were all improved compared with the baseline in the two groups (all P＜ 0.05). Compared with the control group, the FMA and MAS scores of the combined group were higher, and the MMT grade distribution was better (all P＜0.05). The total score of TIS, the scores of static sitting balance, dynamic sitting balance, and coordination subscale and the MBI score were also higher, and the differences were statistically significant (all P＜0.05). Conclusion Adding trunk control training to conventional rehabilitation and task-oriented mirror therapy is associated with better upper limb motor function, trunk control, and activities of daily living after 8 weeks in hemiplegic patients with cerebral infarction during recovery period.