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Updated: Oct 16, 2025
Asymmetric Walkway: A Novel Behavioral Assay for Studying Asymmetric Locomotion
Published on: January 15, 2016
Association between pre-stroke physical activity and mobility and walking ability in the early subacute phase: A
Malin Reinholdsson1, Anna Grimby-Ekman, Hanna C Persson
1Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. malin.reinholdsson@vgregion.se.
Objective:
To investigate associations between pre-stroke physical activity and mobility, walking ability, and self-perceived upper extremity function during stroke unit care.
Design:
A longitudinal, registry-based study with a consecutively collected cohort.
Subjects/Patients:
A total of 1,092 adults with stroke admitted to 3 Swedish stroke units between 2017 and 2018.
Methods:
Logistic mixed effects regression models were performed to investigate associations (adjusted for age and sex). Pre-stroke physical activity was assessed with Saltin-Grimby Physical Activity Level Scale on admission. Mobility, walking ability, and self-perceived upper extremity function were assessed at admission and discharge from the stroke units and compared between pre-stroke physically active (45%) and inactive (55%) groups.
Results:
All groups of patients showed improvements in mobility (p < 0.001), walking ability (p < 0.001), and upper extremity function (p < 0.001). The chang-es over time tended to differ between the physically inactive and active groups for mobility (p < 0.062) and walking ability (p < 0.056), but the differences were not significant.
Conclusion:
Pre-stroke physically active people show-ed a tendency to be more independent in physical functioning early after stroke. Regardless of pre-stroke physical activity, all patients showed improvements in mobility, walking ability, and self-perceived upper extremity function during inpatient care.
