Correlation of pedometric measurement of daily physical activity with exercise endurance by oxygen uptake kinetics in ambulatory stroke patients

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between daily physical activity and physical fitness in twenty ambulatory post-stroke patients. The pedometric measurement was made using a caloriecounter in daily life at home and assessed to quantify the time constant (τ on) of oxygen uptake (V̇O2) and oxygen deficit with gas analysis using a bicycle ergometer. There were negative correlations between the amount of daily walking steps and Ton, as well as the oxygen deficit at the onset of exercise (τ on; r=-0.52, p<0.05, oxygen deficit; r=-0.61, p<0.01), and positive correlations between the amount of daily walking steps and peak V̇O 2, as well as the maximal work load with gas analysis (peak V̇ O2; r=0.61, p<0.01, maximal work load ; r=0.69, p<0.01). These results suggest that gait performance of daily physical activity at home was generally related with exercise endurance in ambulatory post-stroke hemiplegia.