A Comparison of Three Common Rehabilitation Interventions Used to Improve Cardiovascular Fitness after Stroke: An Overview of the Literature

Abstract

Background. One of the most frequent consequences of stroke is a reduction in heart function. After a stroke, one of the main aims of physiotherapy practice is to improve cardiovascular fitness (CVF). This paper is aimed at identifying the best effective intervention of improving the cardiovascular fitness (CVF) after stroke while focusing on body weight-supported treadmill training (BWSTT), over gait training (OGT), and therapeutic exercise. Methods. Different electronic databases were searched until July 2022. Controlled randomized trials examining the effects of BWSTT, OGT, and therapeutic exercise to improve CVF on an ambulatory person with stroke, written in English and reporting cardiovascular fitness or at least one of its indicators, such as peak oxygen consumption (VO2), gait speed, gait energy expenditure, and functional independence measure for locomotion (FIM-L), were included. The quality of the methodology was evaluated using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale. Results. The research yielded 3854 relevant studies, of which 22 met the eligibility criteria. The primary indicators of the CVF, VO2 and energy expenditure, were used to examine the CVF in only three studies, while the rest used other indicators of the CVF. There was a lack of sufficient evidence to establish the superiority of one intervention over another. However, it appears that utilizing BWSTT to improve the CVF after stroke is effective. Conclusion. Physiotherapy has the potential to enhance the CVF of stroke patients. However, effective interventions and long-term effects remain debatable.