title: Cardiovascular responses associated with daily walking in subacute stroke.
abstract: Despite the importance of regaining independent ambulation after stroke, the amount of daily walking completed during in-patient rehabilitation is low. The purpose of this study is to determine if (1) walking-related heart rate responses reached the minimum intensity necessary for therapeutic aerobic exercise (40%-60% heart rate reserve) or (2) heart rate responses during bouts of walking revealed excessive workload that may limit walking (>80% heart rate reserve). Eight individuals with subacute stroke attending in-patient rehabilitation were recruited. Participants wore heart rate monitors and accelerometers during a typical rehabilitation day. Walking-related changes in heart rate and walking bout duration were determined. Patients did not meet the minimum cumulative requirements of walking intensity (>40% heart rate reserve) and duration (>10 minutes continuously) necessary for cardiorespiratory benefit. Only one patient exceeded 80% heart rate reserve. The absence of significant increases in heart rate associated with walking reveals that patients chose to walk at speeds well below a level that has meaningful cardiorespiratory health benefits. Additionally, cardiorespiratory workload is unlikely to limit participation in walking. Measurement of heart rate and walking during in-patient rehabilitation may be a useful approach to encourage patients to increase the overall physical activity and to help facilitate recovery.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Department of Rehabilitation Science, University of Toronto, 500 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, Canada M5G 1V7 ; Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, UHN, 550 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, Canada M5G 2A2.
authors.forename: Sanjay K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Prajapati
authors.forename: Avril
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mansfield
authors.forename: William H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Gage
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: William E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: McIlroy