Intensive treadmill training in the acute phase after ischemic stroke

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Sports Science

Background:

• Acute ischemic stroke significantly impacts patient mobility.
• Early rehabilitation is crucial for functional recovery.
• Assessing the feasibility of intensive exercise interventions is vital.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the feasibility of intensive treadmill training in acute ischemic stroke patients.
• To evaluate the increase in leg physical activity during training over time.
• To quantify the contribution of training sessions to overall patient physical activity.

Main Methods:

• Twenty acute ischemic stroke patients underwent twice-daily treadmill training for 5 days and on day 30.
• Physical activity was quantified using accelerometers measuring activity counts (AC).
• Training feasibility, adverse events, intensity, and AC were analyzed.

Main Results:

• High adherence to training sessions (196/224 completed).
• Training commenced early (41.5±14 hours post-symptom onset) with minimal nonserious adverse events (14.7%).
• Significant increases in leg AC/min during training (133% higher on day 5 vs. day 1) and substantial contribution to daytime AC (53% in paretic leg).

Conclusions:

• Early intensive treadmill training is a feasible and safe intervention for acute ischemic stroke patients.
• Treadmill training progressively enhances leg physical activity during the rehabilitation phase.
• This training modality significantly contributes to the overall physical activity levels of stroke survivors.