Submaximal exercise in persons with stroke: test-retest reliability and concurrent validity with maximal oxygen...

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Rehabilitation
• Neurological Rehabilitation
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• Assessing cardiorespiratory fitness is crucial for stroke rehabilitation.
• Submaximal exercise tests are potential alternatives to maximal tests for safety and feasibility.
• Limited data exists on the reliability and validity of common submaximal tests in chronic stroke populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the test-retest reliability of submaximal exercise tests.
• To assess the concurrent validity of these tests against maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max).
• To evaluate three specific tests: submaximal treadmill, cycle ergometer, and 6-minute walk test (6MWT) in individuals with chronic stroke.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study design with a convenience sample of 12 community-dwelling individuals post-stroke.
• Participants had moderate motor deficits and underwent testing at a tertiary rehabilitation center.
• Measurements included heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen consumption (VO2) during exercise.

Main Results:

• Submaximal exercise tests demonstrated good to excellent test-retest reliability.
• Oxygen consumption (VO2) measures from submaximal tests showed good concurrent validity with VO2max (r = .66–.80).
• The 6-minute walk test distance, gait speed, and hemodynamic measures did not correlate with VO2max.

Conclusions:

• Submaximal exercise tests provide reliable and valid measures of cardiorespiratory fitness in chronic stroke survivors.
• These tests, particularly VO2 measures, are suitable for monitoring intervention effects.
• Submaximal testing offers a practical approach for tracking rehabilitation progress post-stroke.