Early post-stroke physical conditioning in hemiplegic patients: A preliminary study

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Cardiorespiratory Physiology
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Stroke frequently leads to hemiparesis, impacting functional mobility and cardiorespiratory fitness.
• Early assessment of physical capacity is crucial for tailoring rehabilitation strategies.
• Cardiorespiratory deconditioning is a common consequence of stroke-induced hypoactivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of early cardiorespiratory fitness evaluation in hemiparetic stroke patients using a one-leg cycling test.
• To analyze the impact of an adapted physical activity program on cardiorespiratory fitness and activities of daily living (ADL) 12 weeks post-stroke.

Main Methods:

• Eighteen hemiparetic stroke patients were randomized into a control group (CG) and a training group (TG).
• CG received conventional rehabilitation; TG underwent additional adapted physical exercises.
• Maximal graded tests with the unaffected leg and ADL questionnaires were administered at 1 week (T1) and 28 days (T2) post-stroke.

Main Results:

• The training group (TG) showed significant improvements in peak power output (Wpeak: +30%) and peak oxygen uptake (VO₂ peak: +20%) (P<0.05).
• TG demonstrated statistically significant improvements in Barthel and Katz ADL scores, unlike the CG.
• No significant correlation was found between ADL scores and Wpeak.

Conclusions:

• Cardiorespiratory fitness evaluation using the unaffected leg is feasible in hemiplegic patients one month post-stroke.
• Early post-stroke physical training is essential to mitigate functional decline and hypoactivity.
• Adapted physical activity programs can effectively enhance functional recovery and daily living independence in stroke survivors.