Physical Activity in Community-Dwelling Stroke Survivors and a Healthy Population Is Not Explained byMotor Function Only

Abstract

Objectives: To explore the relationship between self-reporting and physical measures and compare self-reported physical activity (PA) levels in persons who have had a stroke with self-reported PA levels in a control population. Design: Cross-sectional assessment of a convenience sample of survivors of a stroke living in the community and a population-based sample from the same community. Setting: University hospital. Participants: Seventy persons (48 men and 22 women; average age, 60 years) who had astroke a mean of 6 years earlier and 141 persons (70 men and 71 women; average age, 59years) who served as control subjects. Main Outcome Measurements: The Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) was used, and self-selected and maximum walking speeds were measured. Motor function after stroke was assessed with the Fugl-Meyer Assessment. Results: The median Fugl-Meyer score for motor function in the leg was 29. Mean self-selected and maximum walking speeds after having a stroke were 1.0 m/s and 1.3 m/s, corresponding to 72% and 65% of control values. A regression model with PASE as the dependent variable and age and walking speed as independent variables explained 29% (P< .001) of the variation in the stroke group. For the control group, age and self-selected walking speed explained 8% of the variation (P< .01). The mean PASE score in the stroke group was 119, compared with 161 in the control group. Conclusion: Persons who have experienced a stroke and live in the community are less physically active than the population of the same age who have not had a stroke. However, it appears that factors other than motor impairment have an impact on a person's PA level, because only a low association was found between PA level and motor function, with a large dispersion in PA levels in persons with a history of stroke who were physically well recovered. © 2014 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.