Blood pressure trajectory of inpatient stroke rehabilitation patients from the Determining Optimal Post-Stroke Exercise (DOSE) trial over the first 12 months post-stroke.

Background: High blood pressure (BP) is the primary risk factor for recurrent strokes. Despite established clinical guidelines, some stroke survivors exhibit uncontrolled BP over the first 12 months post-stroke. Furthermore, research on BP trajectories in stroke survivors admitted to inpatient rehabilitation hospitals is limited.

Higher intensity walking improves global cognition during inpatient rehabilitation: a secondary analysis of a randomized control trial.

Cognitive deficits are common poststroke. Cognitive rehabilitation is typically used to improve cognitive deficits. It is unknown whether higher doses of exercise to promote motor recovery influence cognitive outcomes.

Implementation of increased physical therapy intensity for improving walking after stroke: Walk 'n watch protocol for a multisite stepped-wedge cluster-randomized controlled trial.

Rationale: Clinical practice guidelines support structured, progressive protocols for improving walking after stroke. Yet, practice is slow to change, evidenced by the little amount of walking activity in stroke rehabilitation units. Our recent study (n = 75) found that a structured, progressive protocol integrated with typical daily physical therapy improved walking and quality-of-life measures over usual care.

Cardiometabolic multimorbidity and activity limitation: a cross-sectional study of adults using the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging data.

Background: Cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CM) is the diagnosis of 2 or more cardiometabolic conditions. Multimorbidity and individual cardiometabolic conditions have been associated with activity limitation, a common form of disability, but few studies have investigated the association between CM and activity limitation.

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of activity limitation among Canadians with CM and to quantify the association between CM and activity limitation.

Development of priorities for a Canadian strategy to advance activity-based therapies after spinal cord injury.

Study Design: Participatory design.

Objectives: Activity-based therapies (ABT) have physical and psychosocial benefits for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). A Canadian ABT summit was held to: (1) identify methods used in stroke rehabilitation that may be appropriate for SCI; (2) understand the current state of ABT activities in Canada; and (3) identify priorities for ABT research and care for the next five years.

Higher Doses Improve Walking Recovery During Stroke Inpatient Rehabilitation.

Background And Purpose: We investigated the effect of higher therapeutic exercise doses on walking during inpatient rehabilitation, typically commencing 1 to 4 weeks poststroke.

Methods: This phase II, blinded-assessor, randomized controlled trial recruited from 6 Canadian inpatient rehabilitation units, between 2014 and 2018. Subjects (n=75; 25/group) were randomized into: control (usual care) physical therapy: typically, 1 hour, 5 days/week; Determining Optimal Post-Stroke Exercise (DOSE1): 1 hour, 5 days/week, more than double the intensity of Control (based on aerobic minutes and walking steps); and DOSE2: 2 hours, 5 days/week, more than quadruple the intensity of Control, each for 4 weeks duration.

Factors Influencing the Delivery of Intensive Rehabilitation in Stroke: Patient Perceptions Versus Rehabilitation Therapist Perceptions.

Background: Despite increasing evidence regarding the benefit of intensive task-specific practice and aerobic exercise in stroke rehabilitation, implementation remains difficult. The factors influencing implementation have been explored from therapists' perspectives; however, despite an increased emphasis on patient involvement in research, patients' perceptions have not yet been investigated.

Objective: The study aimed to investigate factors influencing implementation of higher intensity activity in people with stroke and to compare this with therapists' perspectives.

Determining optimal poststroke exercise: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial investigating therapeutic intensity and dose on functional recovery during stroke inpatient rehabilitation.

Rationale: A top priority in stroke rehabilitation research is determining the appropriate exercise dose to optimize recovery. Although more intensive rehabilitation very early after stroke may be deleterious to recovery, inpatient rehabilitation, occurring after acute care, may be a more appropriate setting to assess therapeutic dose on neurological recovery.

Hypothesis: Individuals receiving higher intensity and dose exercise programs will yield greater improvements in walking ability over usual inpatient physical therapy care.

Consumer-Based Physical Activity Monitor as a Practical Way to Measure Walking Intensity During Inpatient Stroke Rehabilitation.

Background And Purpose: Identifying practical ways to accurately measure exercise intensity and dose in clinical environments is essential to advancing stroke rehabilitation. This is especially relevant in monitoring walking activity during inpatient rehabilitation where recovery is greatest. This study evaluated the accuracy of a readily available consumer-based physical activity monitor during daily inpatient stroke rehabilitation physical therapy sessions.

"Stepping Up" Activity Poststroke: Ankle-Positioned Accelerometer Can Accurately Record Steps During Slow Walking.

Background: As physical activity in people poststroke is low, devices that monitor and provide feedback of walking activity provide motivation to engage in exercise and may assist rehabilitation professionals in auditing walking activity. However, most feedback devices are not accurate at slow walking speeds.

Objective: This study assessed the accuracy of one accelerometer to measure walking steps of community-dwelling individuals poststroke.

Capturing step counts at slow walking speeds in older adults: comparison of ankle and waist placement of measuring device.

Objective: It is important for older adults to be physically active, but many older adults walk slowly. This study examined the accuracy of a commercially available step-count device (Fitbit One) at slow speeds and compared the accuracy of the device when worn at the ankle and waist in older adults.

Methods: The Fitbit One was placed at the ankle and waist of participants (n=42; mean age 73 years) while they performed walking trials at 7 different speeds (0.