Article

OBJECTIVE: To identify patient characteristics that influence physiotherapist's
decisions on enrollment and attendance in a structured aerobic exercise program
early after stroke. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. SETTING: Rehabilitation
hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive sample of people (N=345) admitted to
inpatient stroke rehabilitation over a 2-year period. INTERVENTIONS: Not
applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patient demographic characteristics,
preexisting medical conditions, and poststroke outcome variables (neurological
deficit, physical impairment, balance control, and functional mobility and
independence) were compared between individuals enrolled and not enrolled in a
structured aerobic exercise program. The rate of attendance was calculated for
the enrolled group. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-nine patients (38%) were enrolled
in the structured aerobic exercise program. Patients who were older (P=.0093) and
had cardiac disease (P=.012), cardioembolic sources (P=.0094), and arthritis
(P=.031) were less likely to be enrolled in the structured aerobic exercise
program. Poststroke outcome variables were not associated with enrollment. Among
those enrolled, the rate of attendance was positively correlated with the FIM
cognitive rating (r=.27; P=.0031). CONCLUSIONS: Enrollment in structured aerobic
exercise programs during inpatient stroke rehabilitation can be limited by safety
concerns related to patients' cardiovascular and musculoskeletal status. Barriers
associated with the perception of cardiovascular risk factors should be
confronted because they do not preclude participation in cardiac rehabilitation.
In addition, poststroke deficits do not limit participation in adapted aerobic
exercise early after stroke. It is likely that the characteristics of the
structured aerobic exercise program were integral to accommodate the breadth of
poststroke deficits encountered in this study. Future research investigating
physiotherapist and practice environment factors that influence the decision to
prescribe and implement aerobic exercise is warranted.
CI - Copyright (c) 2015 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS