Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 6, 2026
Mobile Game-based Virtual Reality Program for Upper Extremity Stroke Rehabilitation
Published on: March 8, 2018
A mapping study on physical activity in stroke rehabilitation: establishing the baseline
Monica Skarin1, Anna Sjöholm, Åsa Lundgren Nilsson
1Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Per Dubbsg 14, SE-41345 Göteborg.
Objective:
To establish physical activity level, environment and social interaction in routine stroke rehabilitation practice.
Design:
Prospective observational study using behavioural mapping.
Methods:
Patients at 4 hospital stroke rehabilitation units in Sweden at least 7 days post-stroke were observed over 1 week-day at 10 min intervals between 08.00 h and 17.00 h. At each observation, physical activity, location and people present were ascertained.
Results:
Patients (n = 104) had a mean age of 70.3 (standard deviation (SD) 14.4) years. Median time since stroke was 19 (range 7-142) days. Patients were alone for 52% of the day, during this time 7% was spent in standing/walking activities. While with a physiotherapist patients were standing/walking for 43% of the time. Using median regression it was found that the median percentage of time spent in standing/walking was associated with gait independence and age. Gait independence increased the median percentage of time spent in standing/walking by 16.5% (95% confidence interval (CI) 12.1-20.9, p < 0.001), while an increase of 1 year of age reduced the median percentage of time spent in standing/walking by 0.16% (95% CI -0.31 to -0.01, p < 0.05).
Conclusion:
Patients had low levels of physical activity and social interaction. This study suggests that there is a huge potential to increase patients' activity level and augment social interaction above current levels.
