Newswise — Exercising can help people recover better after a stroke. A study from the University of Gothenburg found that those who exercised for at least four hours a week after their stroke were able to recover their physical abilities better in six months than those who did not exercise.

A study by the University of Gothenburg, which has been published in the scientific journal JAMA Network Open, analyzed information about 1,500 stroke patients who were admitted to 35 Swedish hospitals. These patients were categorized based on their levels of physical activity after their stroke.

A study conducted on 1,500 stroke patients in 35 Swedish hospitals showed that those who engaged in physical activity for at least four hours per week after their stroke had a higher chance of recovering well within six months. The participants were grouped based on their post-stroke patterns of physical activity. The study found that men and people with normal cognition tended to maintain an active lifestyle more often, resulting in better recovery. These findings were published in the scientific journal JAMA Network Open.

Positive programming from exercise

Prior research has shown that physical activity is linked to less severe stroke symptoms. The recent study, published in JAMA Network Open, shows that spending at least four hours a week exercising after a stroke can lead to better recovery within six months. The study was based on data from 1,500 stroke patients in 35 Swedish hospitals, and participants who maintained or increased their physical activity levels had twice the chances of recovering well compared to those who did not exercise. The researchers emphasize the importance of maintaining an active lifestyle after a stroke to support successful recovery.

Dongni Buvarp is a researcher in clinical neuroscience at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, and the first and corresponding author of the study. She is also a resident doctor at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital, where she is in the early stages of specialist training.

According to Dongni Buvarp, the first and corresponding author of the study, physical activity after a stroke is crucial for successful recovery. It helps the brain and body to recover better, improves muscle strength, reduces the risk of depression, cardiovascular disease, and falls. It also has a positive effect at the cellular level in the body. She suggests that exercise is beneficial for everyone affected by a stroke, no matter how severe the condition is.

Knowledge and support vital

In summary, Buvarp emphasizes the significance of physical activity after a stroke and believes it is a crucial message that health professionals, stroke patients, and their families should be aware of. Women and people with impaired cognition are likely to become less physically active after a stroke, and therefore, they require more support to engage in physical activity.

The study has a weakness in that the researchers were unable to determine the degree of physical activity of the participants before their stroke, except for a few cases. Another limitation is that the patients were treated only in Sweden, between 2014 and 2019.

Journal Link: JAMA Network Open