A new study shows that a structured walking program with increasing intensity, combined with regular physical therapy, can greatly improve mobility and quality of life in people recovering from a stroke.
The results will be presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2025.
After a stroke, many survivors struggle to walk again. Regaining the ability to walk is a key goal of rehabilitation.
Medical guidelines recommend that people who are stable and able to participate in therapy should receive care at a rehabilitation facility with three hours of therapy five days a week.
But in reality, many rehab programs don’t follow exercise plans with enough intensity to make the most of the brain’s ability to heal.
Dr. Janice Eng, a stroke rehab expert at the University of British Columbia in Canada, led a study to change that. She and her team tested a new walking program at 12 stroke centers across Canada.
The program focused on gradually increasing the amount and intensity of walking during physical therapy.
A total of 306 people recovering from strokes took part in the study. On average, they joined the study about one month after having an ischemic (clot-related) or hemorrhagic (bleeding) stroke. At the start, participants could walk an average of 152 meters (about 498 feet) in six minutes.
The participants were split into two groups. One group received the usual care, and the other followed the new walking program.
The goal for the new program was to walk at a moderate heart rate for 30 minutes and take 2,000 steps per session, five days a week. Participants wore smartwatches that tracked their heart rate and steps.
The results were impressive. Those in the walking program improved their six-minute walk distance by nearly 44 meters more than those in the usual care group. They also saw major improvements in balance, walking speed, and overall quality of life.
One important part of this study was that all the regular therapists at each stroke center were trained to use the new program. This helped make the trial feel more like everyday care in the real world. According to Dr. Eng, this helped show that the program could be successfully added to regular stroke care.
Dr. Preeti Raghavan from Johns Hopkins, who was not involved in the study, praised the results. She said this approach shows how inpatient rehab during a critical healing period after a stroke can help people improve faster and reduce long-term disability.
However, the study had one limitation: only participants who could take at least five steps (even with help) could join. Those who couldn’t walk at all were not included.
The study included 306 people (average age 68, 188 men and 118 women) and took place between 2020 and 2022. It used a special research method called a Step Wedge trial. Therapists delivered the walking program during the first four weeks of the patient’s hospital rehab stay, and improvements were measured with a six-minute walk test.
This study suggests that a well-structured walking program could become a valuable part of stroke recovery and improve long-term outcomes for many survivors.
If you care about stroke, please read studies about how to eat to prevent stroke, and diets high in flavonoids could help reduce stroke risk.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how Mediterranean diet could protect your brain health, and wild blueberries can benefit your heart and brain.
