Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 15, 2025
Quantitative Static and Dynamic Assessment of Balance Control in Stroke Patients
Published on: May 17, 2020
A 3-minute recumbent stepper test in chronic stroke
Daniel L Carl1, Dustyn Whitesel1, Colleen Meyrose1
1Department of Rehabilitation, Exercise, and Nutrition Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Background:
Persons with stroke often have difficulty achieving target heart rate (HR) during graded exercise testing (GXT), which is known to limit test sensitivity for detecting clinically relevant cardiac conditions. A novel Recumbent Stepper 3-minute (RS 3Min) "all out" test may increase sensitivity of stress testing after stroke.
Objective:
To determine the feasibility of adding the RS 3Min test after GXT among persons after stroke.
Design:
A within-participant, nonrandomized, repeated measures design.
Setting:
Rehabilitation research laboratory and cardiovascular stress laboratory PARTICIPANTS: Fifteen participants with chronic stroke (56.7 ± 9.6 years; 6.4 ± 4.3 years post stroke; 8 male).
Interventions:
All participants randomly completed (1) a symptom-limited treadmill GXT and (2) a symptom-limited RS GXT followed by RS 3Min critical power test.
Main Outcome Measures:
HR, ratings of perceived exertion, oxygen consumption, respiratory exchange ratio, and power output measured continuously during each test. Blood pressure measured every 2 minutes and or immediately post exercise. P value set at p < .05 from omnibus test for a significant difference among protocols.
Results:
The RS 3Min test had a significantly higher rate of achieving target HR compared to the RS GXT (9/14 vs 4/14, p = .02) and was not significantly different from the treadmill GXT (9/14 vs 5/14, p = .09). Minimum power output during the RS 3Min was significantly higher than peak power output during the RS GXT (110 ± 41 W vs. 84 ± 22 W, p = .02) with 12/15 participants reaching a VO2 plateau.
Conclusions:
Although additional studies with randomized designs are needed, a novel RS 3Min "all out" test appears to be a promising method for enhancing test sensitivity in cardiovascular screening after stroke, while providing a potentially valid measure of critical power.
