PROPEL Randomized Trial

NCT ID: NCT02951338

Last Updated: 2025-09-18

Study Results

Results available

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Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

TERMINATED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

57 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2017-02-01

Study Completion Date

2020-09-13

Brief Summary

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It is important for people with stroke to exercise in order to improve their overall recovery and general health. However, these individuals are less physically active than people without stroke, and they often do not achieve the recommended frequency, intensity or duration of exercise. Low levels of physical activity leads to people with stroke becoming very unfit, which can result in functional decline and increased difficulty being active. It is important to determine how to encourage people with stroke to be more active in the long-term. The transition time between the end of rehabilitation and return to the community might be an ideal time to address barriers, and to develop positive habits, knowledge and abilities for long-term participation in exercise. We developed the PROPEL program that combines exercise with self-management strategies during rehabilitation to promote physical activity after rehabilitation. Preliminary pilot findings indicate that people who completed PROPEL were more physically active after discharge than those who did not. This study aims to evaluate the effect of PROPEL on long-term participation in exercise after discharge from stroke rehabilitation. This study will take place at 6 different hospitals. Participants will either complete a control intervention (group exercise only) or the PROPEL intervention (group exercise plus self-management). Participants' adherence to exercise for 6 months after the end of the interventions will be evaluated using activity and heart rate monitors and physical activity questionnaires. We expect this study will show that a simple intervention delivered during rehabilitation will increase participation in exercise after rehabilitation. Increased participation in exercise could then lead to improved stroke recovery and overall health, and reduced risk of having another stroke.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Stroke

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Group aerobic exercise only

Supervised group exercise up to 3-times/week for 6 weeks. A typical exercise session will involve a 3-5 minute 'warm-up', 20-30 minutes of aerobic exercise at a target heart rate determined from a sub-maximal test, and a 3-5 minute 'cool-down' of low-intensity exercise. The choice of exercise modality for the submaximal test and for training (e.g., recumbent stepper, cycle ergometer, or treadmill) will be individually prescribed based on patients' sensori-motor recovery, postural control, functional abilities, and safety. Heart rate, blood pressure, rate of perceived exertion, workload, and duration of training will be documented for each session. These data will be reviewed by the physiotherapist with appropriate progression of the intensity and/or duration of exercise as necessary.

Participants may receive general advice to keep physically active after discharge, and may receive an individualized home exercise program, as is currently routine care at all sites.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Group aerobic exercise

Intervention Type OTHER

Supervised group exercise up to 3-times/week for 6 weeks. A typical exercise session will involve a 3-5 minute 'warm-up', 20-30 minutes of aerobic exercise at a target heart rate determined from a sub-maximal test, and a 3-5 minute 'cool-down' of low-intensity exercise. The choice of exercise modality for the submaximal test and for training (e.g., recumbent stepper, cycle ergometer, or treadmill) will be individually prescribed based on patients' sensori-motor recovery, postural control, functional abilities, and safety. Heart rate, blood pressure, rate of perceived exertion, workload, and duration of training will be documented for each session. These data will be reviewed by the physiotherapist with appropriate progression of the intensity and/or duration of exercise as necessary.

Participants may receive general advice to keep physically active after discharge, and may receive an individualized home exercise program, as is currently routine care at all sites.

PROPEL program

The PROPEL program involves both group aerobic exercise (as described above) and group discussion aimed at enabling participation in exercise after discharge. Components of the PROPEL program were developed according to the Transtheoretical Model of health behaviour change and Social Cognitive Theory. In addition to group exercise participants will attend 1-hour small group discussion sessions once weekly to learn self-management skills for exercise in preparation for discharge from rehabilitation. These discussions include: identifying and solving problems around barriers to exercise; understanding personal and general benefits of exercise; exploring appropriate community resources for exercise; and finding individualized and realistic strategies for incorporating exercise in a regular routine. Participants will become comfortable with progressing their exercise and will set short- and long-term exercise goals.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

PROPEL program

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The PROPEL program involves both group aerobic exercise and group discussion aimed at enabling participation in exercise after discharge. Components of the PROPEL program were developed according to the Transtheoretical Model of health behaviour change and Social Cognitive Theory. In addition to group exercise participants will attend 1-hour small group discussion sessions once weekly to learn self-management skills for exercise in preparation for discharge from rehabilitation. These discussions include: identifying and solving problems around barriers to exercise; understanding personal and general benefits of exercise; exploring appropriate community resources for exercise; and finding individualized and realistic strategies for incorporating exercise in a regular routine. Participants will become comfortable with progressing their exercise and will set short- and long-term exercise goals.

Interventions

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PROPEL program

The PROPEL program involves both group aerobic exercise and group discussion aimed at enabling participation in exercise after discharge. Components of the PROPEL program were developed according to the Transtheoretical Model of health behaviour change and Social Cognitive Theory. In addition to group exercise participants will attend 1-hour small group discussion sessions once weekly to learn self-management skills for exercise in preparation for discharge from rehabilitation. These discussions include: identifying and solving problems around barriers to exercise; understanding personal and general benefits of exercise; exploring appropriate community resources for exercise; and finding individualized and realistic strategies for incorporating exercise in a regular routine. Participants will become comfortable with progressing their exercise and will set short- and long-term exercise goals.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Group aerobic exercise

Supervised group exercise up to 3-times/week for 6 weeks. A typical exercise session will involve a 3-5 minute 'warm-up', 20-30 minutes of aerobic exercise at a target heart rate determined from a sub-maximal test, and a 3-5 minute 'cool-down' of low-intensity exercise. The choice of exercise modality for the submaximal test and for training (e.g., recumbent stepper, cycle ergometer, or treadmill) will be individually prescribed based on patients' sensori-motor recovery, postural control, functional abilities, and safety. Heart rate, blood pressure, rate of perceived exertion, workload, and duration of training will be documented for each session. These data will be reviewed by the physiotherapist with appropriate progression of the intensity and/or duration of exercise as necessary.

Participants may receive general advice to keep physically active after discharge, and may receive an individualized home exercise program, as is currently routine care at all sites.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Individuals who are referred to the group aerobic exercise or PROPEL programs as part of their stroke rehabilitation.

Exclusion Criteria

* Language or communication barrier that prevents completion of questionnaires (e.g., severe receptive or global aphasia or non-English speaking);
* Cognitive impairment that would prevent participation in unsupervised exercise;
* Attend less than 50% of group aerobic exercise/PROPEL sessions; and/or
* Attend less than 4 of the 6 group discussion sessions (for individuals referred to the PROPEL program).
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Sunnybrook Research Institute

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

West Park Healthcare Centre

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

McMaster University

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

St. Joseph's Care Group

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Toronto Rehabilitation Institute

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Avril Mansfield

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Avril Mansfield, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Toronto Rehabilitation Institute - UHN

Locations

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Hamilton Health Sciences

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Site Status

St. Joseph's Care Group

Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada

Site Status

Sunnybrook Research Institute

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Site Status

West Park Healthcare Centre

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Site Status

Toronto Rehabilitation Institute - UHN

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Site Status

Countries

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Canada

References

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Mansfield A, Knorr S, Poon V, Inness EL, Middleton L, Biasin L, Brunton K, Howe JA, Brooks D. Promoting Optimal Physical Exercise for Life: An Exercise and Self-Management Program to Encourage Participation in Physical Activity after Discharge from Stroke Rehabilitation-A Feasibility Study. Stroke Res Treat. 2016;2016:9476541. doi: 10.1155/2016/9476541. Epub 2016 May 30.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27313948 (View on PubMed)

Devasahayam AJ, Tang A, Taylor D, Inness EL, Fleck R, French E, Jagroop D, Danells CJ, Mansfield A. Cardiorespiratory exercise and self-management early after stroke to increase daily physical activity: results from a stepped-wedge cluster randomised trial. Disabil Rehabil. 2025 Jul;47(14):3581-3591. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2024.2426689. Epub 2024 Nov 12.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 39530472 (View on PubMed)

Mansfield A, Brooks D, Tang A, Taylor D, Inness EL, Kiss A, Middleton L, Biasin L, Fleck R, French E, LeBlanc K, Aqui A, Danells C. Promoting Optimal Physical Exercise for Life (PROPEL): aerobic exercise and self-management early after stroke to increase daily physical activity-study protocol for a stepped-wedge randomised trial. BMJ Open. 2017 Jun 30;7(6):e015843. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-015843.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 28667222 (View on PubMed)

Provided Documents

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Document Type: Study Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Other Identifiers

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16-5916

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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