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Brisk walking could improve health after stroke
The physical health of stroke survivors can be improved with regular aerobic walking, according to data published in Stroke.
A single blind, randomized controlled trial examined 128 survivors of ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke (70 women; mean age, 64 years) living in Jamaica. Participants were studied 6 to 24 months after the stroke and were able to walk unassisted at the beginning of the trial.
The intervention group (n=64) walked at a brisk pace for 15 minutes per day, three times per week for 12 weeks; 5 minutes were added to the walking every week until reaching 30 minutes. The control group (n=64) received massage to the affected side of their bodies for 25 minutes a day, three times per week for 12 weeks.
The walking intervention group experienced a significant 16.7% improvement in quality of life based on physical health, a 17.6% increase in 6-minute walk test and a 1.5% lower resting heart rate compared with the control group.
Quality of life was assessed by the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey; functional status was assessed by the Barthel Index and Older Americans Resource and Services scale; endurance was assessed by a 6-minute walk test; and lower extremity strength was assessed by the Motricity Index.
“Walking is a great way to get active after a stroke,” Carron Gordon, PhD, of the department of physical therapy, University of the West Indies, said in a press release. “It’s familiar, inexpensive and … something people could very easily get into.”
The researchers recommended that brisk walking be incorporated into comprehensive, community-based exercise programs aimed at those with chronic stroke.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.