title: A mapping study on physical activity in stroke rehabilitation: establishing the baseline.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish physical activity level, environment and social interaction in routine stroke rehabilitation practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational study using behavioural mapping.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients at 4 hospital stroke rehabilitation units in Sweden at least 7 days post-stroke were observed over 1 week-day at 10 min intervals between 08.00 h and 17.00 h. At each observation, physical activity, location and people present were ascertained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients (n = 104) had a mean age of 70.3 (standard deviation (SD) 14.4) years. Median time since stroke was 19 (range 7-142) days. Patients were alone for 52% of the day, during this time 7% was spent in standing/walking activities. While with a physiotherapist patients were standing/walking for 43% of the time. Using median regression it was found that the median percentage of time spent in standing/walking was associated with gait independence and age. Gait independence increased the median percentage of time spent in standing/walking by 16.5% (95% confidence interval (CI) 12.1-20.9, p < 0.001), while an increase of 1 year of age reduced the median percentage of time spent in standing/walking by 0.16% (95% CI -0.31 to -0.01, p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients had low levels of physical activity and social interaction. This study suggests that there is a huge potential to increase patients' activity level and augment social interaction above current levels.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Per Dubbsg 14, SE-41345 Göteborg. E-mail: thomas.linden@neuro.gu.se.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Skarin
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sjöholm
authors.forename: Åsa  Lundgren
authors.initials: Å
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bernhardt
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lindén
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation