How much exercise does the enhanced gait-oriented physiotherapy provide for chronic stroke patients?

• Published in: Journal of neurology 2004-04, Vol.251 (4), p.449-453
• Main Authors: PEURALA, Sinikka H, PITKÄNEN, Kauko, SIVENIUS, Juhani, TARKKA, Ina M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Chronic Disease; Exercise; Exercise Therapy - statistics & numerical data; Female; Gait; Gait - physiology; Humans; Inpatients - statistics & numerical data; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neurology; Patients; Physical therapy; Physical Therapy Modalities - statistics & numerical data; Rehabilitation; Stroke; Stroke Rehabilitation; Training; Walking; Walking - statistics & numerical data
• ISSN: 0340-5354; 1432-1459
• DOI: 10.1007/s00415-004-0352-0

Physical exercise therapy in sensorimotor rehabilitation of stroke patients includes active and repetitive exercise and task-specific training. The time spent in active practice is fundamental. The purpose of this study was to analyse what was the actual amount of exercise and content of the performed exercise of the three-week gait-oriented physiotherapy program for chronic stroke patients in an in-patient setting. Twenty ambulatory post-stroke patients participated in an in-patient rehabilitation period during which a special effort was made to enhance gait training and the amount of therapy and its contents were recorded in structured form. Baseline and postintervention gait ability assessments were made, but the analysis concentrated on participation records in different forms of therapy. Patients received 19 hours of instructed physiotherapy in three weeks and together with self-initiated training they practised for 28 hours. The practice time in the upright position was 62% of the total duration of the instructed physiotherapy and 35% was performed while sitting. This amount of exercise resulted in improvement of the gait tests. In order to improve gait in the chronic state of disease, a sufficient amount of gait rehabilitation practice can be obtained with a combination of electromechanical gait trainer exercises, physiotherapy, instructed exercise groups and self-initiated training.