Effect of Intensive Rehabilitation on Physical Function and Arterial Function in Community-Dwelling Chronic Stroke Survivors

Abstract

These findings suggested that intensive rehabilitation for stroke patients during the chronic stage preserved physical function and improved arterial function.

Tests for clinical assessment of the stand-to-sit/sit-to-stand in subjects post-stroke: a systematic review.

“…The majority of studies (13/15, 86.6%) had a score of moderate quality (5,6,8,(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26) and the other with lower quality (2/15, 13.4%) (27,28) (5,6,17,18,(20)(21)(22)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28) "the number of test repetitions stand-up / sit down on chair in 30 seconds "(1/15, 6.7%) (23) and "test number of repetitions stand-up / sit down on chair 60 seconds "(1/15, 6.7%) (19) ( Table 2). The tests were used to refer to functionality, (22,27) muscle strength in lower limb (17,25) performance from sitting to standing (19) and balance.…”

“…The tests were used to refer to functionality, (22,27) muscle strength in lower limb (17,25) performance from sitting to standing (19) and balance. (6) Most studies (10/15, 80%) (5,6,(17)(18)(19)(21)(22)(23)(24)27) utilized sample size greater than 12 individuals, independent ambulating for 10 meters with or without assistive device and mean age between 42 to 59.5 years (5,6,17,18,20,25,26) or 60 to 81.2 years. (8,19,(21)(22)(23)(24)27,28) Approximately 93.3% of studies (14/15) described the injury time of the individuals assessed, given as greater than 11 months (5,6,8,17,18,(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28) (Table 2).…”

“…Less than half of the studies described the height of the chair seat used, (5,(17)(18)(19)21,23,25,26) described by most as fixed (5,17,18,21,23,25,26) and in one study as adjusted to individual leg length. (19) Approximately 66.6% (10/15) of the included studies (5,6,(17)(18)(19)21,22,(24)(25)(26) did not allow use of the upper limbs during the test, and of these 40% (4/10) standardized the individual upper limbs crossed chest (5,6,18,22) (Table 3).…”

“…There was a predominance of studies with moderate quality to low, particularly for non description of the test protocol and the positioning of the individual. (15) Most studies (5,6,17,18,(20)(21)(22)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28) used the "test of five repetitions stand-up / sit down on chair", but were also used "test of three repetitions stand-up/ sit down on chair" (8) "test number of repetitions standup / sit down on chair in 30 seconds" (23) and "test number of repetitions stand-up / sit down on chair 60 seconds ". (19) Many of the subjects had functional level from moderate to high and were in the chronic stage post-injury.…”

Physical Activity Correlates with Arterial Stiffness in Community-dwelling Individuals with Stroke

“…49 Only one study has examined the effects of exercise on arterial function in individuals with stroke. Takatori et al 50 concluded that intensive strengthening may have some benefit to vascular stiffness on the paretic side, but analogous findings were not observed on the nonparetic side.…”