Arm and Leg Cycling Exercise After Stroke

NCT ID: NCT02232867

Last Updated: 2014-09-05

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: UNKNOWN
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 20 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2011-07-31
• Study Completion Date: 2015-03-31

Brief Summary

It has been found that arm and leg cycling is similar to walking in terms of the muscle activation patterns and joint ranges of motion. In addition, arm and leg cycling and walking activate similar neural pathways. Another advantage of arm and leg cycling is that it involves coordination of all four limbs in a rhythmic movement. This may be particularly beneficial given previous findings that arm movement contributes to the activation of leg muscles during walking in humans. This is achieved with interconnected neural pathways that link the arms to the legs. These neural interlimb connections remain intact in stroke victims, such that maximizing the contribution of the arms to the legs may increase coordination for walking. Thus, the objectives of this research are to determine if arm and leg cycling can be used to increase the strength of interlimb connections and if this helps to improve walking ability in a post-stroke population. It is hypothesized that arm and leg cycling will transfer to improvements in walking in a post stroke population.

Detailed Description

For those who have suffered a stroke, damage to the brain can result in a decreased ability to walk, thus decreasing quality of life in a significant way. Traditionally, body weight supported treadmill training has been used for walking rehabilitation; however, this therapy requires specialized technicians, equipment, and facilities. Arm and leg cycle ergometers, a device commonly found in a gym, could provide an inexpensive and readily accessible means for walking rehabilitation.

Conditions

Stroke

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Arm and Leg Cycling Exercise Program

Multiple baseline test sessions will be used for the same participant to establish a meaningful baseline thus confirming consistency of all outcome measures prior to the intervention.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Arm and Leg Cycling Exercise Program

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Participants will perform arm and leg cycling training three times a week, with 30 minutes of aggregate exercise time per session. To evaluate the physiological cost of exercise, heart rate and a rating of perceived exertion will be collected. The progressive element of this training will include increasing the resistance of the ergometer over the six weeks in order to maintain the same relative exercise stress.

Interventions

Arm and Leg Cycling Exercise Program

Participants will perform arm and leg cycling training three times a week, with 30 minutes of aggregate exercise time per session. To evaluate the physiological cost of exercise, heart rate and a rating of perceived exertion will be collected. The progressive element of this training will include increasing the resistance of the ergometer over the six weeks in order to maintain the same relative exercise stress.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• stroke
• lives within the Victoria, Vancouver Island, and Vancouver mainland communities

Exclusion Criteria

• inability to stand for 5 minutes unassisted

• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Canadian Stroke Network

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of Victoria

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Dr. E. Paul Zehr

Dr. E. Paul Zehr

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

E. Paul Zehr, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Victoria

Locations

Rehabilitation Neuroscience Laboratory

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

Canada

Central Contacts

Taryn Klarner, M.Sc.

Role: CONTACT

rnl@uvic.ca

(250) 472-5487

Facility Contacts

Marj Wilder, B.Sc.

Role: primary

mwilder@uvic.ca

Other Identifiers

07-480-04d

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id