title: A community-based fitness and mobility exercise program for older adults with chronic stroke: a randomized, controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effects of a community-based group exercise program for older individuals with chronic stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, single-blind, randomized, controlled intervention trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Intervention was community-based. Data collection was performed in a research laboratory located in a rehabilitation hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-three older individuals (aged > or = 50) with chronic stroke (poststroke duration > or = 1 year) who were living in the community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were randomized into intervention group (n=32) or control group (n=31). The intervention group underwent a fitness and mobility exercise (FAME) program designed to improve cardiorespiratory fitness, mobility, leg muscle strength, balance, and hip bone mineral density (BMD) (1-hour sessions, three sessions/week, for 19 weeks). The control group underwent a seated upper extremity program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cardiorespiratory fitness (maximal oxygen consumption), mobility (6-minute walk test), leg muscle strength (isometric knee extension), balance (Berg Balance Scale), activity and participation (Physical Activity Scale for Individuals with Physical Disabilities), and femoral neck BMD (using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The intervention group had significantly more gains in cardiorespiratory fitness, mobility, and paretic leg muscle strength than controls. Femoral neck BMD of the paretic leg was maintained in the intervention group, whereas a significant decline of the same occurred in controls. There was no significant time-by-group interaction for balance, activity and participation, nonparetic leg muscle strength, or nonparetic femoral neck BMD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The FAME program is feasible and beneficial for improving some of the secondary complications resulting from physical inactivity in older adults living with stroke. It may serve as a good model of a community-based fitness program for preventing secondary diseases in older adults living with chronic conditions.
authors.affiliation: School of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Marco Y C
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: Janice J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Eng
authors.forename: Andrew S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Dawson
authors.forename: Heather A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: McKay
authors.forename: Jocelyn E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Harris
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000145:classification*; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003153:Community Health Services; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D009788:Occupational Therapy; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010809:Physical Fitness; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen