Physical activity profiles and sedentary behaviour in people following stroke: a cross-sectional study.
OBJECTIVE
To measure and compare physical activity profiles and sedentary time between community dwelling stroke survivors and healthy volunteers.


METHODS
Twenty-two stroke survivors (10 men, age 55.3 ± 9.9 years; 4.2 ± 4.0 years since their stroke) were recruited from local stroke support groups, and 22 controls were matched for sex, age and body mass index (BMI). All participants wore an ActivPAL™ physical activity monitor for seven days and from these data activity profiles, including the number of steps per day, time spent sedentary and time in different cadence bands, were recorded.


RESULTS
Stroke survivors took significantly fewer steps per day than the controls (4035 ± 2830 steps/day versus 8394 ± 2941 steps/day, p < 0.001) and sedentary time (including sleep time) was significantly higher for stroke participants compared to the controls (20.4 ± 2.7 h versus 17.5 ± 3.8 h, p < 0.001). People with stroke spent a significantly higher proportion of their walking time in lower self-selected cadences compared to the controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Community dwelling stroke survivors spent more time sedentary, took fewer steps and walked at a slower self-selected cadence. Interventions to increase walking and reduce sedentary time following stroke are required which may have the added benefit of reducing cardiovascular risk in this group. Implications for Rehabilitation Stroke survivors are predisposed to reduced physical activity and increased cardiovascular risk. This study showed that community dwelling stroke survivors spent more time sedentary, took fewer steps and walked at a slower self-selected cadence. Interventions are required which focus on reducing sedentary time as well as increasing step counts in people following stroke.
a School of Medicine, University of Glasgow , Glasgow , UK .
Lorna
L
Paul
b School of Computing Science and.
Stephen
S
Brewster
c Institute of Health and Wellbeing, College of Social Sciences, University of Glasgow , Glasgow , UK .
Sally
S
Wyke
d BHF Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre, Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow , Glasgow , UK .
Jason M R
JM
Gill
e NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde , UK , and.
Gillian
G
Alexander
a School of Medicine, University of Glasgow , Glasgow , UK .
Aleksandra
A
Dybus
f School of Health & Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University , Glasgow , UK.
Danny
D
Rafferty
D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D009043:Motor Activity; D012307:Risk Factors; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D017741:Survivors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016138:Walking
Cadence; gait speed; physical activity; sedentary behaviour; stroke