Self-reported physical activity after ischemic stroke correlates with physical capacity

Abstract

Little is known about stroke survivors' level of physical activity or if physical activity plays a role in preventing recurrent stroke. The Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) is a valid measure of self-reported level of physical activity in the previous 1-week period reflecting physical activity in older adults, but has not yet been evaluated for use in stroke survivors. The aim was to examine the correlation between self-reported physical activity as measured by PASE and physical capacity as measured by the Senior Fitness Test (SFT) in persons after an ischemic stroke. A consecutive sample of 49 participants ]40 years of age suffering from mild stroke were included 3Á12 months after stroke onset. PASE was administered by interviewing the participants and a trained physiotherapist blinded for the PASE score tested them with the seven items of the SFT. Correlations between PASE score and those items in the SFT that required strength, endurance and balance were moderate between 0.37 (p 00.03) and 0.50 (p00.0005) for the total group. There was no correlation between PASE score and flexibility items. The findings indicate that PASE reflects overall physical capacity to perform everyday activities that require strength, aerobe endurance and balance in persons suffering from mild stroke.

Health-Related Variables and Functional Fitness among Older Adults

“…Maintaining lower body strength is a key to remaining an independent and high functioning individual. The SFT is being utilized more frequently to assess the functional fitness of older adults (DiBrezzo, Shadden, Raybon, & Powers, 2005;Dobek, White, & Gunter, 2006;Lindahl, Hansen, Pedersen, Truelsen, & Boysen, 2008). Our data align very closely with previous functional fitness data published by Rikli and Jones (1999a).…”

Early prediction of physical activity level 1 year after stroke: a longitudinal cohort study

“… 16 Studies on what stroke survivors experience as barriers to PA have identified physical impairment as one of the main barriers to PA, 21 22 yet motor impairment has been found to correlate mainly with walking capacity and energy cost for walking and not with PA level. 17 In another study physical capacity, measured by a test for fitness, was found to have a moderate correlation to self-assessed PA. 34 In our study, the mRS addressing disability rather than impairment was used 28 and although functional disability and motor impairment are correlated, impairment does not fully explain disability among people with stroke. 20 Previous studies have not shown significant correlation between age and PA after stroke.…”

Physical Activity in Community‐Dwelling Stroke Survivors and a Healthy Population Is Not Explained by Motor Function Only

“…Good psychometric properties were found in persons with knee pain [17], whereas in studies of persons with cancer [18] and osteoarthritis [19], it was concluded that the PASE had adequate retest reliability but low construct validity compared with accelerometer counts. Regarding stroke, one study [10] on the validity of the PASE found moderate correlations with physical measures after a mild stroke had been sustained.…”

“…The mean PASE score of 119 in the present study seems reasonable because many years have passed since the onset of stroke. In a Danish study [10] conducted 3 to 12 months after stroke, the mean PASE score was 99 in 49 mildly affected stroke participants between 41 and 87 years of age. We found no differences in gender in the total PASE score, whereas the Danish study showed that men had a somewhat higher total score than did women.…”