Cardiorespiratory Responses to Pool Floor Walking in People Poststroke

Area of Science:

• Cardiorespiratory Physiology
• Rehabilitation Science
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Individuals poststroke often experience impaired gait and reduced exercise capacity.
• Aquatic therapy is increasingly utilized for rehabilitation due to its buoyancy and resistance properties.
• Understanding cardiorespiratory responses during aquatic exercise is crucial for optimizing therapeutic interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare cardiorespiratory responses, specifically oxygen consumption (V˙o₂) and energy expenditure (EE), between pool floor walking and overground walking (OW) in individuals poststroke.
• To investigate differences in these responses between individuals poststroke and healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 14 individuals poststroke and 14 healthy controls.
• Cardiorespiratory variables (V˙o₂, EE, V˙e) were measured using a telemetric metabolic system during 6-minute walking trials.
• Walking occurred in chest-depth water and on land at matched speeds.

Main Results:

• Individuals poststroke demonstrated no significant differences in cardiorespiratory responses between pool floor walking and OW.
• Healthy controls exhibited significant increases in V˙o₂ (94%), EE (109%), and V˙e (94%) during pool floor walking compared to OW.
• A significant group × condition interaction was found for V˙o₂, with controls increasing V˙o₂ in water while stroke survivors did not.

Conclusions:

• Unlike healthy adults, individuals poststroke do not elevate their energy expenditure when walking in water compared to land.
• The findings suggest that pool floor walking may provide a less metabolically demanding environment for individuals poststroke.
• Aquatic walking, without excessive energy demands, could be beneficial for early-stage gait training in stroke rehabilitation.