Aug 13, 2021 – New research suggests that even minimal exercise can significantly reduce the risk of death for people with a stroke.
In a large Canadian study of community stroke survivors, researchers found that those who spent 3 to 4 hours a week walking or gardening or 2 to 3 hours a week cycling had a 54% lower risk of death.
And the risk began to drop below zero with each exercise, they found.
“We know from studies in the general population that physical activity is important in reducing cardiovascular events, heart attacks and strokes, but strokes are [patients] are a special group of people who generally experience lower levels of physical activity because of a potentially persistent disability, “said the study’s lead author, Raed A. Joundi, MD, of the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada.
“If we can find a relatively inexpensive and simple intervention like physical activity to improve health and reduce the risk of death for stroke survivors, it would be important.”
Following stroke survivors for an average of 5 years, the researchers found the most notable effects of exercise in the younger survivors. People under 75 had a 79% reduced risk of death compared to people over 75 who were found to have a 32% reduced risk.
Paul George, MD, assistant professor of neurology at Stanford University in California, said the results add further evidence that people should keep exercising after having had a stroke.
“Future research to identify the main barriers to post-stroke physical activity and ways to reduce them will also be important in increasing physical activity in stroke survivors,” he said.
Finding out how to tailor exercise recommendations to suit the diverse abilities of stroke survivors will also be important, Joundi said
“Stroke survivors can have some disabilities, so we need to be able to handle them with one [exercise] Level that is possible for them, “he said.
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