The Effect of Wheelchair Exercise on Physical Function and Health Status by Duration of Stroke Patients

Abstract

Stroke is the leading cause of disability in adults worldwide. Evidence is growing on the efficacy of exercise for improving physical fitness and physiological health in stroke patients. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of wheelchair exercise on the physical function and health status according to the duration of stroke patients. METHODS: Eighteen people were randomly selected and divided into short duration of stroke group (9.90±1.72months) and long duration of stroke group (18.62±3.06months). Wheelchair exercise was progressed with 60 min per session, five times per week for six-weeks. Physical function such as flexibility, agility, grip strength, lower-body muscular endurance, and postural assessment scale for stroke (PASS), health status (SF-36) measured at baseline and after a six-week exercise program. The analyses were made using two-way ANOVA with repeated measures. RESULTS: The result showed that significantly improved on flexibility (0.1±13.24cm vs. 8.46±9.94cm, p<0.000), agility (23.50±9.20sec vs. 17.95±8.62sec, p<0.05), grip strength (26.39±6.67kg vs. 28.47±6.56, p<0.05), lower-body muscular endurance (6.3±4.13N vs. 7.7±4.87N, p<0.05), and PASS (28.30±7.32 vs. 29.70±8.0, p<0.01) to the short of duration stroke patients after wheelchair exercise program. Health status were significantly improved on physical functioning (19.50±19.78 vs. 23.00±19.74, p<0.05), role limitation physical (22.50±41.58 vs. 32.50±39.17sec, p<0.01), body pain (41.55±27.08 vs. 61.95±30.08, p<0.01), social functioning (27.05±18.06 vs. 43.05±20.75, p<0.01), role limitation emotional (10.00±31.62 vs. 37.50±51.75, p<0.05), mental health (60.20±15.61 vs. 69.00±16.26, p<0.05), and general health (40.50±17.39 vs. 53.50±15.64, p<0.01) to the short of duration stroke patients after wheelchair exercise program. CONCLUSIONS: Six-week wheelchair exercise was positive effect of physical function and health status on only the short duration of stroke patients. We suggested that exercise rehabilitation program for chronic stroke patients and for useful their improved of quality of life.