Stroke survivors may benefit from brief bursts of intense exercise
Short bursts of intense exercise may better improve cardiovascular fitness among stroke survivors than continuously exercising at a more moderate level, new research finds, adding to what's known about the role exercise can play in stroke recovery.
"Exercise is a really crucial part of rehabilitation," said study co-author Dr. Ada Tang, a physical therapist and professor of rehabilitation science at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. "We know that exercise is beneficial to people with heart disease, but the body of research for how it can benefit people with stroke is much smaller. We need to promote exercise to people living with stroke and to the health professionals who guide them in their recovery."
Tang and her colleagues compared the effects of 12 weeks of high-intensity interval training, or HIIT, to moderate-intensity continuous training on cardiovascular fitness, risk factors and mobility among stroke survivors. The findings were published in the American Stroke Association journal Stroke.
"We found high-intensity exercise is better, but any type of aerobic exercise is good for improving heart health after a stroke," said lead author Dr. Kevin Moncion, a physiotherapist and post-doctoral fellow at McGill University in Montreal.
Every year, more than 795,000 people in the U.S. have strokes, which occur when a blood vessel carrying oxygen to the brain is blocked or ruptures. Nearly 1 in 4 strokes happen to people who previously had one. Research shows that controlling stroke risk factors – such as managing hypertension and diabetes through reduced sedentary time sedentary time and engaging in vigorous physical activity – is key to preventing a second stroke. Physical activity also has been shown...