Moderate-vigorous Intermittent Physical Activity (M-VILPA) in Stroke

Universitat Internacional de Catalunya36 enrolled

Overview

Stroke is the leading cause of disability in Spain. Additionally, it is the second leading cause of death in women and the third in both sexes. Regular physical activity (PA) helps prevent and manage stroke. It also helps with hypertension, maintains a healthy body weight, and improves mental health, quality of life, and well-being. PA plays a prominent role in inpatient care after stroke. However, stroke survivors become more sedentary when discharged from the hospital. They have muscle weakness, reduced balance, and fatigue. Consequently, PA levels of community-dwelling post-stroke individuals remain lower than their age-matched counterparts. Continued PA can help this population maintain and improve physical function, and reduce long-term functional limitations, and mortality risk.

Previous studies that performed a comparative analysis of physical activity between individuals with and without stroke have consistently reported that stroke survivors tend to spend less time in moderate to vigorous physical activity The 2021 AHA guideline recommends smaller sessions of PA, with suggestions such as 10 minutes of moderate activity, 4 times a week, or 20 minutes of vigorous activity twice a week. This contrasts the weekly physical activity recommendations in 2011 (30 minutes of moderate to vigorous, 1 to 3 times) and 2014 (40 minutes of moderate to vigorous, 3 to 4 times). We hypothesise that older stroke survivors are physically active more frequently but for smaller durations than younger stroke survivors who are physically active for longer durations but less regularly. Understanding these subtle changes will not only help to tailor physical activity interventions based on specific recommendations but also help design future recommendations. Moderate-to-vigorous PA could be an adequate approach for stroke survivors as it requires less time to achieve the same benefits as light PA. More concretely, a new concept called moderate-to-vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity (MV-ILPA) has recently emerged for adults who do not habitually exercise in their leisure time. MV-ILPA refers to brief and sporadic bouts of moderate-vigorous intensity PA performed as part of the activities of daily living, such as bursts of very fast walking, sitting and standing up from a chair, or stair climbing. MV-ILPA is associated with a substantially lower risk of all-cause cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality. However, there is no evidence to directly support the potential benefits of MV-ILPA in the elderly post-stroke patients.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Interventions

Moderate-vigorous physical activityOTHER

The experimental group will receive usual care plus the MV-ILPA and education program. First, a physiotherapist will conduct a face-to-face session with the patients detailing the health benefits of moderate to vigorous PA and the negative effects of not including it in their daily lives. Patients will receive a booklet with all the key information. Secondly, participants will take the MV-ILPA program. This program consists of completing 4 length-standardised moderate-to-vigorous intense bouts per day (3 minutes each) of activities of daily living (sit-to-stand, going up/down stairs, walking fast indoors, and walking up small slopes) every day for 12 weeks. Once per week for 12 weeks, a physiotherapist will go to the patient\'s home for a face-to-face session or videoconference. This physiotherapist will foster participants' independence and self-management. The PA intensity will be increased weekly by increasing the execution speed and including weights.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

The amount of moderate-vigorous intense physical activity (PA).

All participants will be monitored with a 3-axial accelerometer (strapped on the waist) for 7 days to record their total daily movement counts and the minutes of moderate-to-vigorous-intensity PA.

Time frame: From enrollment T0 (during 7 days) to the end of treatment at 12 weeks T1 (during 7 days) and at 12 weeks (follow-up) T2 (during 7 days)

Secondary Outcomes

Lower limb mean power

The participants were instructed to rise from the chair, without armrests, as fast and powerful as possible, reaching a fully standing erect position without lifting their feet and sit back down as quickly as possible. Five attempts were given interspersed by 30-60 s. It is measured by Lineal Encoder Chronojump. Higher mean power means better outcome.