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

Richards 1993 (Continued)
Interventions Intervention: mixed training: task-oriented gait training programme which used a tilt table,
resisted exercises using a Kinetron, and treadmill walking, 104 minutes/day 5 days per week
for 5 weeks; progression achieved via velocity and resistance (Kinetron) increments
Control: traditional neurophysical techniques 109 minutes/day 5 days per week for 5 weeks
Setting: hospital
Outcomes Included outcomes: Barthel Ambulation scores; BBS; gait velocity
Other outcomes: Fugl-Meyer balance; Fugl-Meyer upper and lower extremity scores
Notes A second control group of early conventional therapy was not used for comparison since
it differed from the institution usual care; it commenced earlier than usual during hospital
care and had substantially longer contact time
Risk of bias
Bias Authors’ judgement Support for judgement
Allocation concealment (selection bias) Unclear risk Not reported
Richards 2004
Methods Design: randomised trial of mixed training plus % usual care versus usual care - during
usual care
Randomisation mechanism: unknown; method: variable blocks stratified on time since
stroke, disability, and age
Allocation concealment: unknown
Blinding: investigator; efficacy unknown
Intention-to-treat: yes
Measurements: end of intervention (8 weeks) and 3-month follow-up
Withdrawals: intervention: 9 (2 discontinued intervention: 1 hip fracture, 1 cardiac problem),
5 unavailable for follow-up; control: 8 (1 withdrew from intervention, 7 unavailable
for follow-up)
Participants Randomised: 63 participants
Intervention: 32 participants; 22 males and 10 females; age 62.9 years (SD 12); 52 days
post-stroke (SD 22)
Control: 31 participants; 21 males and 10 females; age 60.7 years (SD 12); 52.8 days poststroke
(SD 18)
Inclusion criteria: first or second stroke; men or women aged 30 to 89 years; impaired
walking; follow verbal instructions; Barthel ambulation score ?10; gait speed of 10 to 60
cm/second
Exclusion criteria: cerebral and subarachnoid haemorrhage; major medical problems (cancer,
heart conditions, diabetes); receptive or expressive aphasia; lower extremity musculoskeletal
disorders affecting gait
Interventions Intervention: mixed training: task-oriented gait training programme which used a limb-load
monitor, resisted exercises using a Kinetron, and treadmill walking, intervention occurred
during physiotherapy sessions of 60 minutes per day 5 days per week for 8 weeks, progression
Physical fitness training for stroke patients (Review)
Copyright © 2011 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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