Can Arm and Leg Cycling Exercise Improve Walking After Stroke

Can Arm and Leg Cycling Exercise Improve Walking After Stroke?

It has been found that arm and leg cycling is similar to walking. Thus, the objective of this research is to determine if arm and leg cycling can be used to improve walking ability in a post-stroke population. This outcome would directly impact the health and quality of life for those who have suffered a stroke.

Study Overview

• Status: Unknown
• Conditions: Cerebrovascular Accident
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Arm and Leg Cycling Exercise for Walking after Stroke

Detailed Description

It has been found that arm and leg cycling is similar to walking in terms of the muscle activation patterns, joint ranges of motion, and neural pathways activated. Another advantage of arm and leg cycling is that it involves coordination of all four limbs in a rhythmic movement. This may be particularly beneficial given previous findings that arm movement contributes to the activation of leg muscles during walking in humans. This is achieved with interconnected neural pathways that link the arms to the legs. These neural interlimb connections remain intact in stroke victims, such that maximizing the contribution of the arms to the legs may increase coordination for walking.

Thus, the objective of this research is to determine if arm and leg cycling can be used to increase the strength of inter-limb connections and if this helps to improve walking ability in a post-stroke population. 15-20 participants will be recruited to participate in a five week training intervention where measures will be taken before and after the intervention to assess efficacy. Arm and leg cycling could provide a novel method to improve inter-limb coupling and walking ability. These outcomes would directly impact the health and quality of life for those who have suffered a stroke.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 20
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: E P Zehr, Doctorate; Phone Number: (250) 472-5487; Email: rnl@uvic.ca

Study Locations

• Canada
  • British Columbia
    • Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
      • Recruiting
      • MacLaurin Building
      • Contact: Taryn Klarner, Masters; Phone Number: (250) 472-5487; Email: rnl@uvic.ca
      • Sub-Investigator: Taryn Klarner, Masters

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Cerebrovascular accident

Exclusion Criteria:

• Inability to stand

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Test Group; 5 weeks of arm and leg cycling, 3 times per week for 30 minute of total exercise per session	Other: Arm and Leg Cycling Exercise for Walking after Stroke

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Walking Ability	Treadmill test of walking coordination, speed, and symmetry. Interlimb coordination assessed with peripheral nerve stimulation during arm and leg cycling and walking. Strength of dorsi-flexion and plantar-flexion and grip strength also assessed.	Within five days

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Clinical Status assessed by a Physiotherapist	Clinical assessment of skin sensitivity, spasticity, balance and coordination, and walking endurance.	Within 5 days

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Victoria
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: E P Zehr, Doctorate, University of Victoria

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: July 1, 2011
• Primary Completion (Anticipated): December 1, 2014
• Study Completion (Anticipated): December 1, 2015

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 9, 2014
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 11, 2014
• First Posted (Estimate): December 12, 2014

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): December 12, 2014
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 11, 2014
• Last Verified: December 1, 2014

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Cardiovascular Diseases; Vascular Diseases; Cerebrovascular Disorders; Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Stroke
• Other Study ID Numbers: D015017-2011-2014; 123456 (UMMashhad)