Exercise Training for Stroke Survivors

The Exercise Training for Stroke Survivors program is a health-promotion program to improve outcomes for urban African-American stroke survivors. The 12-week program has sessions three days a week on fitness instruction and exercise, nutrition education, and health behavior changes. The 45-70 minute exercise classes included a warm-up, aerobic activity, strength activity, and cool down. Aerobic equipment includes stationary bikes, recumbent steppers, treadmills, and cross-trainers. Introductory classes educate participants in measuring perceived exertion, using equipment safely, and understanding signs of overexertion. Nutrition classes include hands-on cooking instruction focused on low-fat, low-cholesterol food. Health behavior classes include presentations and group discussions to help participants develop goals related to stress, coping styles, family, role change, communication, exercise, healthy cooking, and nutrition.

The goal of this program is to use education and exercise improve outcomes for urban African American stroke survivors.

This program was evaluated using a pre- and post-test lag control group study. The intervention group made significant gains over lag controls in the following outcome measures: reduced total cholesterol (p < 0.05), reduced weight (p < 0.01), increased cardiovascular fitness (p< 0.001), increased strength (p < 0.001), increased flexibility (p < 0.001), increased satisfaction and ability to manage self-care needs (p < 0.05), and decreased social isolation (p < 0.05).