Aerobic Walking Exercise for Non-Ambulatory Stroke Survivors

Aerobic Walking Exercise for Non-Ambulatory Stroke Survivors

By doing this study, researchers hope to learn the effects of aerobic exercise on heart, lung, and bone health in people who cannot walk after a stroke.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Independent ambulation before stroke
• Be able to understand and follow verbal commands in English
• Have physicians' approval for exercise, and be in stable medical condition
• Participant's first stroke
• Unable to walk independently according to Functional Ambulation Category (FAC) (<2) after in-patient rehabilitation treatment
• Between 6 weeks to 5 years after stroke onset

Exclusion Criteria:

• Current cardiovascular abnormalities other than stroke such as ischemic cardiovascular event or coronary artery bypass surgery less than 3 months ago
• Musculoskeletal disorder which prevents subjects from participating in the exercise
• Resting blood pressure more than 200/110 mm Hg
• Current or previous pulmonary diseases in the past two years
• Osteoporosis and restricted passive movement in the major joints of the lower limbs
• Subjects will be excluded if they are unable to speak or understand English and/or unable to travel to the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) Neuromuscular Research Laboratory