Key result
Prestroke physical activity is associated with less severe strokes and favorable effects on vascular risk factors based on epidemiologic and registry evidence.
Epidemiologic and experimental evidence suggests that physical activity prior to a stroke may reduce stroke severity.
Strong epidemiologic evidence supports the efficacy of physical activity for the primary prevention of stroke.1 Physical activity has a favorable effect on vascular risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, lipid profile, and psychosocial factors, each known to affect stroke risk.1 A growing body of literature also suggests that even among individuals who have stroke, those who led a physically active lifestyle tended to have less severe strokes.2–4 Furthermore, experimental research in animal models supports the value of exercise before and after stroke as a modifier of poststroke outcome.5 The availability of national registry studies has enabled exploration of these questions in larger samples of patients with stroke.
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Spartano et al. (2018) conducted an editorial in Stroke. Physical activity was evaluated on Stroke severity. Prestroke physical activity is associated with less severe strokes and favorable effects on vascular risk factors based on epidemiologic and registry evidence.
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