Treadmill exercise assists post stroke mobility
Walking on a treadmill can greatly improve the mobility and health of stoke sufferers, even a considerable time after the stroke has occurred, according to new research published in the Stroke journal.
Researchers checked 71 patients who had suffered a stroke an average of four years earlier, with half at the start of the study able to walk without assistance, and the others involved using a cane, walker, or wheelchair.
After being randomly divided into two groups, one half walked on a treadmill for three times a week for up to 40 minutes, while the others performed stretching exercises.
After six months the ground walking speed among the treadmill exercisers increased by 19% compared with just an 8% increase in the stretching group.
