The Impact of Home-Based Exercise Rehabilitation on Functional Capacity in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

One of the major consequences of stroke impairments is hemiparesis, which affects activities of daily living and contributes sedentary lifestyle. The purpose of this study was evaluation of the effectiveness of home-based exercise rehabilitation incentive on daily living activities and functional capacity among acute ischemic patients. This randomized controlled trial was done from August 2017 to September 2018. Iranian subjects with unilateral ischemic stroke were recruited from inpatient wards at educational hospital. Patients were randomly assigned to the home-based rehabilitation program (intervention group) or usual care (control group). National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), Barthel Index Score (BI), Modified Rankin Scale (MRS), and Fugl-Meyer Upper and Lower Extremity Sensorimotor Score were evaluated in both groups at baseline and 3 months later. Intervention group received home-based rehabilitation exercise program for 3 months. Control group did not receive home-based rehabilitation program and incentive telephone call. All data were collected and analyzed by SPSS software (Version 20.0; SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois) using chi-square test to compare demographic variables, and independent and paired t-tests to between- and within-group assessment, respectively. Forty ischemic stroke patients (20 intervention group and 20 control group) were examined. Results showed BI, Fugl-Meyer Upper and Lower Extremity Score, and MRS score in the interventional group were significantly higher than the control group after 3-month home-based exercise rehabilitation (p < .001). Providing a home rehabilitation program in this study resulted in a motor recovery on ischemic stroke survivors in the acute phase of recovery. This was assumed to be cost-effective intervention in low-income countries