Exercise Prescription after Stroke: Frequency, intensity and Type Matter

Recommendations for combined aerobic and resistance training for stroke survivors have been in place for years, but few research studies exist demonstrating that it actually improves recovery. Moreover, there is no compelling evidence that combined training is more effective than aerobic training alone for post-stroke recovery.

“One focus area for the research team in cardiac rehab is around exercise training models in cardiovascular populations,” says the Department of Medicine’s Dr. Paul Oh. “What type and intensity, dose and frequency are associated with optimal gains in fitness and function?”

To address this important question, Dr. Susan Marzolini, a PhD scientist at Toronto Rehab, led a team that compared combined aerobic and resistance training with aerobic training alone in a group of stroke survivors with mobility deficits.

They discovered despite being prescribed 40 per cent less aerobic training, patients who received combined training had enhanced stroke recovery and showed greater improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness, strength and lean muscle mass. In fact, the combined training group gained almost five times more muscle mass than the aerobic only group.

The findings provide scientific evidence of the benefits of supplementing aerobic sessions with resistance training and support the integration of both types of training in stroke rehabilitation programs.

This work was supported by the Heart and Stroke Foundation Canadian Partnership for Stroke Recovery, and the Ontario Stroke Network.

Citation: Neurorehabil Neural Repair. 2018 Mar;32(3):209-222. doi: 10.1177/1545968318765692. Epub 2018 Mar 30.

Link to abstract: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29600726