- Title
- Aerobic exercise and consecutive task-specific training (AExaCTT) for upper limb recovery after stroke: a randomized controlled pilot study
- Creator
- Valkenborghs, Sarah R.; van Vliet, Paulette; Nilsson, Michael; Zalewska, Katarzyna; Visser, Milanka M.; Erickson, Kirk I.; Callister, Robin
- Relation
- Physiotherapy Research International Vol. 24, Issue 3, no. e1775, p. 1-11
- Publisher Link
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pri.1775
- Publisher
- John Wiley & Sons
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2019
- Description
- Objective: This study examined the feasibility of a parallel-group assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial investigating whether task-specific training preceded by aerobic exercise (AEX + TST) improves upper limb function more than task-specific training (TST) alone. Methods: People with upper limb motor dysfunction after stroke were allocated to TST or AEX + TST. Both groups were prescribed 60 hr of TST over 10 weeks (3 x 1-hr sessions with a therapist per week and 3 x 1 hr of home-based self-practice per week). The AEX + TST group performed 30 minutes of aerobic exercise immediately prior to the 1 hr of TST with the therapist. Recruitment, adherence, retention, participant acceptability, and adverse events were recorded. Clinical measures were performed prerandomization at baseline, on completion of the intervention, and at 1- and 6-month follow-up. Results: Fifty-nine persons after stroke were screened, 42 met the eligibility criteria, and 20 (11 male; mean [SD] age: 55.4 [16.0] years; time since stroke: 71.7 [91.2] months) were recruited over 17 months. The mean Wolf Motor Function Test Functional Ability Score at baseline was 27.4 (max = 75) and the mean Action Research Arm Test score was 11.2 (max = 57). Nine were randomized to AEX + TST and 11 to TST. There were no adverse events, but there was one drop out. Retention at 1- and 6-month follow-up was 80% and 85%, respectively. Attendance was 93% (6) for the AEX + TST group, and 89% (9) for the TST group. AEX + TST was perceived as acceptable (100%) and beneficial (87.5%). Exertional fatigue (visual analogue scale) prior to TST was worse in the AEX + TST group (3.5 [0.7] out of 10) than the TST group (1.7 [1.4] out of 10). The TST group performed 31% more repetitions per session than the AEX + TST group. Conclusion: A subsequent Phase III study is feasible, but modifications to eligibility criteria, outcome measures, and intervention delivery are recommended.
- Subject
- aerobic exercise; motor learning/control; stroke; task-specific training
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1413643
- Identifier
- uon:36655
- Identifier
- ISSN:1358-2267
- Rights
- This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Valkenborghs, SR, van Vliet, P, Nilsson, M, et al. Aerobic exercise and consecutive task‐specific training (AExaCTT) for upper limb recovery after stroke: A randomized controlled pilot study. Physiother Res Int. 2019; 24:e1775. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions.
- Language
- eng
- Full Text
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