A high-dose mobility booster program versus usual care for people after stroke: protocol for a pilot randomized trial

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Clinical Trials

Background:

• Long-term mobility after stroke presents challenges, with limited access to ongoing physiotherapy.
• Novel service delivery models are needed to enhance sustained mobility post-stroke.
• A mobility booster program offers potential for accessible, as-needed physiotherapy interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the feasibility of a clinical trial for a short-term, high-dose mobility booster program (HiWalk).
• To measure clinical outcomes to inform the power calculations for a future efficacy trial.
• To assess the potential of mobility booster programs for long-term stroke rehabilitation.

Main Methods:

• A multi-site, assessor-blinded pilot randomized trial involving 50 participants.
• Comparison of the HiWalk program plus usual care against usual care alone.
• Evaluation of feasibility (recruitment, adherence, safety) and clinical outcomes (walking speed, capacity, self-efficacy) at 1 and 6 months.

Main Results:

• The pilot trial will assess recruitment rates, participant adherence, and safety of the HiWalk intervention.
• Key clinical outcomes including walking speed, capacity, and self-efficacy will be measured.
• Data will be used to estimate statistical power for a larger, definitive trial.

Conclusions:

• Mobility booster programs show promise as a long-term solution for post-stroke mobility training.
• This pilot trial is crucial for advancing the investigation of this service delivery model.
• Confirmation of the feasibility of a novel high-dose, short-term booster program is a primary objective.