Physical Activity and Exercise After Stroke

A lthough stroke is now the fourth, not the third, most com- mon cause of death in the United States, 1 the burden of stroke has increased. Stroke is now the third (fifth in 1990) largest cause of disability-adjusted life years in the developed world. 2 Around half of those who do survive stroke are permanently disabled. here are a wide range of poststroke problems, including movement and function, mobility, balance, cognition, attention, memory, pain, sensation, perception, emotional problems, and psychological issues. The physical and psychosocial consequences of stroke are complex and long term.