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

Kim 2001
Methods Design: randomised trial of resistance training versus non-exercise intervention - after usual
care
Randomisation mechanism: unknown; method: stratified based on gender, age (50 to 59
or 60+ years) and time since onset of stroke (6 months to 2 years/2+ years)
Allocation concealment: unknown
Blinding: investigator; participants blinded to purpose of interventions
Intention-to-treat: unknown
Measurements: end of intervention (6 weeks)
Withdrawals: none
Participants Randomised: 20 participants
Intervention: 10 participants; 7 males and 3 females; age 60.4 years (SD 9.5); 4.9 years
post-stroke (SD 3.3)
Control: 10 participants; 7 males and 3 females; age 61.9 years (SD 7.5); 3.2 years poststroke
(SD 1.2)
All participants had hemiparesis
Inclusion criteria: age > 50 years; > 6 months after first ever stroke; walk 40 metres with
+/- rest, +/- assistive device; stage 3 of Chedoke-McMaster Stroke Assessment; tolerate 45
minutes of exercise with rest intervals; non-participation in other therapy programmes
Exclusion criteria: comprehensive aphasia; not medically stable; musculoskeletal problems
not associated with stroke
Interventions Intervention: isokinetic dynamometer (Kin-Com); 45 minutes per day 3 days per week
for 6 weeks; after a warm up this comprised 30 minutes of 3 x 10 resisted repetitions of
maximal effort concentric hip flexion/extension, knee flexion/extension and ankle dorsiflexion/plantarflexion
of the affected lower limb; progression in the resistance was achieved
by increasing the preload on the Kin-Com device; ACSM criteria for resistance training
met
Control: exactly the same as intervention except the resisted contractions replaced with
passive range of motion movements
Setting: rehabilitation centre
Outcomes Included outcomes: gait preferred speed (metres/minute over 8 metres); gait maximum
speed (metres/minute); stair climbing speed (stairs/second); composite strength score for
the affected (trained) lower limb
Other outcomes: stair walking performance (4 x 18 cm steps) self selected and maximal;
physical functioning and mental health components of the SF-36; composite strength score
for the affected (trained) lower limb
Notes Data reported as change scores
Risk of bias
Bias Authors’ judgement Support for judgement
Allocation concealment (selection bias) Unclear risk Not reported
Physical fitness training for stroke patients (Review)
Copyright © 2011 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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