title: Accelerometer and Global Positioning System Measurement of Recovery of Community Ambulation Across the First 6 Months After Stroke: An Exploratory Prospective Study.
abstract: To characterize community ambulation and determine if it changes across the first 6 months after discharge from hospital after stroke.
  
  
  
  Prospective, observational study.
  
  
  
  Community setting.
  
  
  
  Subacute stroke survivors with no cognitive impairment or conditions limiting mobility prior to stroke (N=34).
  
  
  
  Not applicable.
  
  
  
  Community ambulation was measured by an accelerometer, Global Positioning System, and activity diary. Measures included the following: volume (step count; time spent in the community, lying/sitting, standing, and walking), frequency (number of community trips; number of and time in short-, medium-, long-duration bouts), intensity (number of and time at low-, moderate-, high-intensity bouts), and trip type at 1, 3, and 6 months after hospital discharge.
  
  
  
  At 1 month participants took on average 1 trip per day in the community, lasting 137±113 minutes. Overall, most community ambulation was spread across long-duration bouts (>300 steps) lasting 11.3 to 14.1min/d and moderate-intensity bouts (30-80 steps per minute). There was no change in community ambulation trip type (P<.302) or ambulation characteristics over time except for a greater number of and time spent in long ambulation bouts at 6 months only (P<.027).
  
  
  
  Total volume and intensity of community ambulation did not change over the first 6 months postdischarge after stroke. However, at 6 months, survivors spent more time in long-duration ambulation bouts. Review of stroke survivors at 6 months after hospital discharge is suggested because this is when changes in community ambulation may first be observed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Physiotherapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD. Electronic address: n.mahendran@canberra.edu.au.
authors.forename: Niruthikha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mahendran
authors.affiliation: School of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Brisbane, QLD; Griffith Health Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Suzanne S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kuys
authors.affiliation: Division of Physiotherapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD.
authors.forename: Sandra G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Brauer
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia; D005260:Female; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D016138:Walking
keywords: Accelerometry; Community integration; Rehabilitation; Stroke; Walking