This study aimed to assess the efficacy of adding HIIT vs combining unloaded cycling to conventional physiotherapy on exercise capacity, functional ability, disability level, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in the early post-stroke stageThis study aimed to assess the efficacy of adding HIIT vs combining unloaded cycling to conventional physiotherapy on exercise capacity, functional ability, disability level, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in the early post-stroke stage
A double-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted. All participants received 30-minute of conventional physiotherapy. Furthermore, the control (SHAM) group (n=22) received volume-matched unloaded cycling, while the intervention group (n= 22) performed HIIT for 20 to 30 minutes, 3 times a week for 6-week, with 3- and 6-months follow-up. The primary outcome was exercise capacity measured by a maximal exercise test. Secondary outcomes included balance: Berg Balance Scale [BBS], walking ability: 6-minute and 10-meter walk tests [6MWT and 10mWT], lower extremity muscle strength: 5-Repetition Sit-To-Stand test [5R-STS], disability level: modified Rankin Scale [mRS] and HRQoL by EuroQOL five-dimension questionnaire [EQ-5D].
At 6-week, change in exercise capacity for HIIT versus SHAM was 28.1±12.8 versus 10.4±11.5 watts (mean, +17.7 [95% CI, 10.2 to 25.1]), change in 6MWT was 220.7±82 versus 93.8±78.7 m (mean, +126.8 [95% CI, 77.9 to 175.7]), change in 10mWT was 0.8±0.3 versus 0.2±0.2 m/s (mean, +0.5 [95% CI, 0.3 to 0.7]), and change in mRS was -2.1±0.8 versus -1.4±0.7 point (mean, -0.7 [95% CI, -1.2 to -0.2]). These changes are also significantly greater compared to SHAM at 3- and 6-months (p0.001) follow-up.
Combining HIIT with conventional physiotherapy offers the potential for a significantly greater recovery of exercise capacity, walking ability and lower the overall disability early post-stroke than SHAM. Furthermore, changes in exercise capacity are moderately correlated with changes in walking ability and disability level.
An early HIIT program can be safely implemented in people with mild to moderately severe disability within the first-month post-stroke, with certain precautionsan.
High-intensity interval training
Functional recovery