Physical fitness training for stroke patients (Review) - Update Software

James 2002
Methods Design: randomised trial of mixed training versus no intervention - after usual care
Randomisation mechanism: computer; method: blocks of 4
Allocation concealment: sealed envelopes
Blinding: investigator
Intention-to-treat: yes
Measuremetns: end of intervention (4 weeks)
Withdrawals: control group 2 dropped out (neurological problems)
Participants Randomised: 20 participants
Intervention: 10 participants; 4 males and 6 females; age 76.1 years (SD 12.33); 1826 days
post-stroke
Control: 10 participants; 2 males and 8 females; age 80.8 years (SD 9.0); 1845 days poststroke
Inclusion criteria: stroke with hemiplegia; ability to give informed consent
Exclusion criteria: no complicating medical history (cardiac, pulmonary or neurological)
; no severe deficits in communication, memory or understanding; no painful orthopaedic
conditions which could limit participation
Interventions Intervention: mixed training, performed 90 to 120 minutes per day 3 days per week for 4
weeks
Warm up followed by half squats; chair squats; small knee bends; standing on affected leg;
single-leg half squat on affected leg; standing on unaffected leg and bending affected hip and
knee; stair stepping; stepping on spot; walking indoors and outdoors; stepping forwards,
backwards and sideways; opening and closing doors; walking and placing/lifting objects;
placing objects on shelves. Finished with a cool down; progression achieved increasing pulse
rate from 50% (first 2 weeks) to 60% (last 2 weeks) of heart rate reserve, increasing total
distance walked, and increasing step height and repetition number
Control: no intervention
Setting: patients’ homes
Outcomes Included outcomes: gait speed preferred (5 metres with mixed surfaces and a dead turn at
2.5 metres)
Other outcomes: functional walking ability questionnaire; upright motor control test; SF-
36 - older version
Notes Unpublished thesis
Risk of bias
Bias Authors’ judgement Support for judgement
Allocation concealment (selection bias) Low risk Sealed envelopes
Physical fitness training for stroke patients (Review)
Copyright © 2011 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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