New research suggests that short bursts of intense exercise may be more effective at improving heart health in stroke survivors than exercising continuously at a moderate pace.
This study builds on what we already know about the importance of exercise in recovering from a stroke.
Dr. Ada Tang, a physical therapist and professor at McMaster University in Canada, emphasizes the importance of exercise in stroke rehabilitation.
While we know a lot about how exercise benefits people with heart disease, there is still much to learn about how it helps those recovering from a stroke.
Dr. Tang believes that encouraging stroke survivors to exercise is crucial, as well as guiding healthcare professionals to better support their patients in this regard.
In the study, Dr. Tang and her colleagues explored the effects of two different exercise routines on stroke survivors: high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training. The study lasted 12 weeks and involved 82 participants with an average age of 65.
These participants had their first stroke between six months and five years before joining the study. The research was published in the American Stroke Association journal, Stroke.
HIIT is a form of exercise where short bursts of intense activity are followed by periods of rest or lower-intensity movement.
For this study, the HIIT group exercised in this pattern for 19 minutes per session, with one minute of intense exercise followed by one minute of lower-intensity movement, repeated ten times. The moderate-intensity group exercised continuously for up to 30 minutes per session.
Both groups used a machine that mimics walking upstairs while seated, and each session included a warm-up and cool-down period.
Researchers measured the participants’ cardiovascular fitness by looking at their VO2 peak, which is the maximum amount of oxygen their bodies could use during intense exercise.
They also measured factors like blood pressure, waist-to-hip ratio, arterial stiffness, and mobility. These measurements were taken both after 12 weeks of exercise and again after eight weeks of follow-up.
The results showed that both exercise routines improved the participants’ cardiovascular fitness. However, the HIIT group saw twice the improvement in their fitness levels compared to the moderate-intensity group.
Specifically, the HIIT group’s VO2 peak increased by an average of 3.52 milliliters per minute per kilogram of body weight, while the moderate-intensity group’s increase was 1.76 milliliters per minute per kilogram.
Even after eight weeks without formal exercise, the HIIT group maintained a higher level of fitness, though both groups did see some decline.
While both groups showed similar improvements in mobility, there were no significant differences in other cardiovascular risk factors like blood pressure or arterial stiffness.
Dr. Kevin Moncion, the study’s lead author and a physiotherapist at McGill University in Canada, noted that while intense exercise seems to offer greater benefits, any form of aerobic exercise is good for improving heart health after a stroke.
Dr. Mona Bahouth, an associate professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins University, who was not involved in the study, added that everyone can benefit from some form of exercise after a stroke.
She believes that exercise should start as soon as possible, even while the person is still in the hospital, depending on the severity of their stroke.
The study highlights a common challenge: figuring out how much and how intensely stroke survivors should exercise.
Many factors influence this, including how much the person exercised before their stroke, the severity of the stroke, and any complications they might be experiencing, such as paralysis or dizziness.
Dr. Bahouth points out that adaptive equipment and assistance from therapists or nurses can help stroke survivors move different parts of their bodies with varying levels of intensity. Not moving at all can lead to weight gain, muscle loss, blood clots, and poor heart health.
Though this study did not set an upper limit for exercise intensity or duration for stroke survivors, both Dr. Moncion and Dr. Tang agree that pushing oneself during exercise is not dangerous, as long as it’s done within one’s limits.
They stress the importance of stroke survivors working with their healthcare team to create a safe and effective exercise plan.
Dr. Moncion also notes that it’s never too late to start exercising after a stroke. Recovery is an ongoing process, and there’s always room for improvement, regardless of how long it has been since the stroke occurred.
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 information about health, please see recent studies about how Mediterranean diet could protect your brain health, and wild blueberries can benefit your heart and brain.
The research findings can be found in Stroke.
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