Abstract
BackgroundStroke is a leading cause of disability among adults worldwide. Evidence suggests that increased duration of exercise therapy following stroke has a positive impact on functional outcome following stroke. The main objective of this randomised controlled trial is to evaluate the impact of additional family assisted exercise therapy in people with acute stroke.Methods/DesignA prospective multi-centre single blind randomised controlled trial will be conducted. Forty patients with acute stroke will be randomised into either an experimental or control group. The experimental group will receive routine therapy and additional lower limb exercise therapy in the form of family assisted exercises. The control group will receive routine therapy with no additional formal input from their family members. Participants will be assessed at baseline, post intervention and followed up at three months using a series of standardised outcome measures. A secondary aim of the project is to evaluate the impact of the family mediated exercise programme on the person with stroke and the individual(s) assisting in the delivery of exercises using a qualitative methodology. The study has gained ethical approval from the Research Ethics Committees of each of the clinical sites involved in the study.DiscussionThis study will evaluate a structured programme of exercises that can be delivered to people with stroke by their 'family members/friends'. Given that the progressive increase in the population of older people is likely to lead to an increased prevalence of stroke in the future, it is important to reduce the burden of this illness on the individual, the family and society. Family mediated exercises can maximise the carry over outside formal physiotherapy sessions, giving patients the opportunity for informal practice.Trial RegistrationThe protocol for this study is registered with the US NIH Clinical trials registry (NCT00666744)
Highlights
Stroke is a leading cause of disability among adults worldwide
The progressive increase in the population of older people is likely to lead to an increased prevalence of stroke in the future [2]
We describe a novel protocol to increase exercise therapy time following stroke by involving the family members in the delivery of additional exercises to people with stroke
Summary
The concept of family mediated exercise therapy is not a new phenomenon. It is common practice in rehabilitation of children with neurological impairments [45]. It is evident that more therapy is of benefit to people with stroke and the aim of this RCT is to maximise motor recovery by allowing the patient to practice activities with his/her family outside of the routine treatment hours. The qualitative data will allow the researchers a deeper insight into the impact of the programme of the patient and his/her family. By establishing evidencebased interventions, such as the one outlined in this protocol, can we strive to reduce the impact of this illness on the individual, the family and society
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