Abstract
Although exercise is proven as an effective strategy to combat post-stroke complications and the risk of stroke recurrence, many stroke survivors fail to engage in this activity following rehabilitation. In this study, we assessed the feasibility and usefulness of a low-frequency group exercise to determine its suitability as an approach to facilitate exercise engagement among stroke survivors. Forty-one stroke survivors, mean (SD) age 59.34 (10.02) years, mean time post-stroke 17.13 (17.58) months, completed a 90 minute, once per week, group exercise supervised by therapists for 12 weeks. The exercise outcomes were measured using standardized clinical tests. We observed improvement in the group’s physical performance; balance score by 3 units (Z = −3.88, p < 0.001), speed of repetitive sit to stand by 3.4 s (Z = −4.69, p < 0.001), and walking speed by 8.22 m/min (Z = −3.25, p < 0.001). Scores of seven out of 14 Berg’s balance scale items increased significantly, indicating better balance ability among the survivors. In conclusion, a 12-week, once per week group exercise session seems feasible and sufficient to improve the physical performance of community dwelling stroke survivors. This exercise arrangement may be offered to stroke survivors to facilitate exercise practice following rehabilitation.
Highlights
The incidences of stroke have increased dramatically over the past two decades, parallel to the increase in the number of aging populations with lifestyle diseases [1]
We evaluated the feasibility and benefits of low-frequency, therapist-supervised, group exercise for stroke survivors with regard to gains in physical performance, namely balance, functional strength, and walking speed
Out of the 44 stroke survivors who participated in the program, only two (7%) withdrew, for reasons that were not associated with the exercise intervention
Summary
The incidences of stroke have increased dramatically over the past two decades, parallel to the increase in the number of aging populations with lifestyle diseases [1]. The world currently witnesses an increased number of stroke survivors, with a greater demand on post-stroke care [1,2]. Among the survivors measured at later stage post-stroke, more than half have difficulty in walking, and nearly one-fifth were dependent on others for activities in daily living [5,6,7]. These physical dysfunctions are often associated with the presence of post-stroke impairments, resulting in an increased energy demand and oxygen consumption to perform simple day-to-day tasks. As stroke survivors experience fatigue, they tend to avoid physical activities or exercise and succumb to a sedentary life [8,9]
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