Abstract
Objective
To examine the effects of 12 weeks of twice-weekly intensive aerobic exercise on physical
function and quality of life after subacute stroke.
Design
Randomized controlled trial.
Setting
Ambulatory care.
Participants
Patients (N=56; 28 women) aged ≥50 years who had a mild stroke (98% ischemic) and
were discharged to independent living and enrolled 20 days (median) after stroke onset.
Interventions
Sixty minutes of group aerobic exercise, including 2 sets of 8 minutes of exercise
with intensity up to exertion level 14 or 15 of 20 on the Borg rating of perceived
exertion scale, twice weekly for 12 weeks (n=29). The nonintervention group (n=27)
received no organized rehabilitation or scheduled physical exercise.
Main Outcome Measures
Primary outcome measures included aerobic capacity on the standard ergometer exercise
stress test (peak work rate) and walking distance on the 6-minute walk test (6MWT).
Secondary outcome measures included maximum walking speed for 10m, balance on the
timed Up and Go (TUG) test and single leg stance (SLS), health-related quality of
life on the European Quality of Life Scale (EQ-5D), and participation and recovery
after stroke on the Stroke Impact Scale (SIS) version 2.0 domains 8 and 9. Participants
were evaluated pre- and postintervention. Patient-reported measures were also evaluated
at 6-month follow-up.
Results
The following improved significantly more in the intervention group (pre- to postintervention):
peak work rate (group × time interaction, P=.006), 6MWT (P=.011), maximum walking speed for 10m (P<.001), TUG test (P<.001), SLS right and left (eyes open) (P<.001 and P=.022, respectively), and SLS right (eyes closed) (P=.019). Aerobic exercise was associated with improved EQ-5D scores (visual analog
scale, P=.008) and perceived recovery (SIS domain 9, P=.002). These patient-reported improvements persisted at 6-month follow-up.
Conclusions
Intensive aerobic exercise twice weekly early in subacute mild stroke improved aerobic
capacity, walking, balance, health-related quality of life, and patient-reported recovery.
Keywords
List of abbreviations:
EQ-5D (European Quality of Life Scale), HRQOL (health-related quality of life), RPE (rating of perceived exertion), SIS (Stroke Impact Scale), SLS (single leg stance), 6MWT (6-minute walk test), TUG (timed Up and Go), VAS (visual analog scale)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: February 20, 2016
Footnotes
Supported by the Swedish Stroke Association, Stockholm, Sweden; the Henry and Ella Margareta Ståhl Foundation, Norrköping, Sweden; the Medical Research Council of Southeast Sweden, Sweden; and the Research and Development Council, Local Health Care, Norrköping, Sweden.
Clinical Trial Registration No.: NCT02107768.
Disclosures: none.
Identification
Copyright
© 2016 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine
