Introduction/Objective Neurological impairment and immobility in stroke
patients can lead to numerous complications. This study aimed to evaluate
the effect of cycling exercises with visual feedback combined with
conventional rehabilitation on neurological and motor recovery, balance,
walking speed and endurance, and activities of daily living (ADL) in
patients after acute and subacute stroke. Methods A randomized prospective
controlled trial was applied to this research. One hundred and twenty-seven
hemiplegic stroke patients who received in-hospital rehabilitation were
randomly assigned into two groups. Both groups received conventional
rehabilitation treatment. The experimental group had an extra 30 minutes of
cycling exercises for the upper and lower extremities on a stationary
ergocycle MOTOmed muvi. Both groups? neurological status, upper and lower
limb function, independence in ADL, balance, walking speed, and endurance
were observed before and after the rehabilitation treatment. Outcome
measures used were the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS),
the modified Ashworth scale (MAS), the Brunnstrom Motor Evaluation Scale
(BMES), upper and lower Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA), the Barthel index (BI),
the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and the Timed up
and Go test (TUG). Results The neurological recovery on the NIHSS scale,
spasticity of the knee extensor measured by the MAS, the BMES and FMA-LE
subscale for the affected leg, and the 6MWT presented more significant
improvement in the experimental group than the control group after the
treatment (p < 0.05 for all three analyses). Conclusion Cycling exercises
with visual feedback combined with conventional rehabilitation could promote
neurological recovery and improve the motor function of the affected leg and
walking speed in patients recuperating after acute and subacute stroke.
