Effectiveness of Motor Interventions in Improving the Motor Abilities of Post-stroke Patients: A Systematic Review

 Stroke is a major cause of neurologic disability worldwide. Most cases of stroke have a sedentary lifestyle and diminished aerobic capacity. The present study aimed to systematically investigate the effect of aerobic exercise training on motor function improvement of patients following stroke.

This research is a systematic review. Keyword studies of aerobics, exercise, mobility, rehabilitation, stroke, walking, and treadmill were conducted in the Embase, Science Direct, PubMed, Medline, and Google Scholar databases from 2000 to 2019. Studies in two categories of aerobic exercise and motor ability, including adults with a history of stroke more than six months with the ability to move independently, have exercise intervention and assessment of motor abilities. Of 87 articles in the initial search, 31 were included in this study.

Among 31 studies reviewed, 10 studies focused on the effect of continuous passive exercise and 12 studies on the effect of aerobic exercise on the motor abilities of stroke patients. Meanwhile, although six studies showed a positive impact of using the treadmill on functional capacity, five studies did not show an improvement in the balance of these patients under the treadmill.

A review of the research findings showed that the specific type, intensity, and duration of various types of motor interventions could improve parts of the physical fitness of stroke patients during the rehabilitation programs;  therefore, the risk of re-stroke and cardiovascular disorders is reduced.