Key result
Daily walking during in-patient rehabilitation in subacute stroke patients failed to meet the minimum intensity (>40% heart rate reserve) and duration (>10 minutes) for cardiorespiratory benefit.
Why the study?
Does daily walking during in-patient rehabilitation reach the minimum intensity and duration necessary for therapeutic aerobic exercise in patients with subacute stroke?
Observational (n=8)
Does daily walking during in-patient rehabilitation reach the minimum intensity and duration necessary for therapeutic aerobic exercise in patients with subacute stroke?
Daily walking during subacute stroke in-patient rehabilitation does not reach the intensity or duration required for cardiorespiratory benefits, suggesting a need for targeted interventions to increase physical activity.
Subacute stroke inpatients' daily walking may lack aerobic benefit; hypothesis-generating for trials of intensity-augmented rehab.
Despite the importance of regaining independent ambulation after stroke, the amount of daily walking completed during in-patient rehabilitation is low. The purpose of this study is to determine if (1) walking-related heart rate responses reached the minimum intensity necessary for therapeutic aerobic exercise (40%-60% heart rate reserve) or (2) heart rate responses during bouts of walking revealed excessive workload that may limit walking (>80% heart rate reserve). Eight individuals with subacute stroke attending in-patient rehabilitation were recruited. Participants wore heart rate monitors and accelerometers during a typical rehabilitation day. Walking-related changes in heart rate and walking bout duration were determined. Patients did not meet the minimum cumulative requirements of walking intensity (>40% heart rate reserve) and duration (>10 minutes continuously) necessary for cardiorespiratory benefit. Only one patient exceeded 80% heart rate reserve. The absence of significant increases in heart rate associated with walking reveals that patients chose to walk at speeds well below a level that has meaningful cardiorespiratory health benefits. Additionally, cardiorespiratory workload is unlikely to limit participation in walking. Measurement of heart rate and walking during in-patient rehabilitation may be a useful approach to encourage patients to increase the overall physical activity and to help facilitate recovery.
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Prajapati et al. (2013) conducted an observational in Subacute stroke (n=8). Daily walking was evaluated on Walking-related heart rate responses (40%-60% or >80% heart rate reserve) and walking bout duration. Daily walking during in-patient rehabilitation in subacute stroke patients failed to meet the minimum intensity (>40% heart rate reserve) and duration (>10 minutes) for cardiorespiratory benefit.
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