Exercise can make all the difference for stroke victims

WASHINGTON - Having a stroke is no reason to take it easy and, in fact, stroke survivors can benefit by getting up off the couch and exercising, says the American Heart Association.

New guidelines from the group recommend at least 20 minutes of aerobic exercise three to seven times a week to help reduce the risk of another stroke.

Writing in the journal Circulation, the association's scientific committee also advised stroke patients to do some strength training.

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States after cancer and heart disease, killing nearly 170,000 people last year. An estimated 700,000 have a stroke every year, and many stroke victims suffer from reduced ability to bathe, dress, speak and get around.

Those disabilities can in turn lead to depression, said Dr Neil Gordon, who co-chaired the committee.

Patients descend into "a vicious circle of further decreased activity and greater exercise intolerance, leading to secondary complications such as reduced cardio-respiratory fitness, muscle atrophy, osteoporosis and impaired circulation to the lower extremities in stroke survivors," the committee concluded. But exercise improves all these things.

The guidelines recommend stroke survivors do 20 to 60 minutes of walking or similar exercise three to seven days a week.

"But the sessions don't have to be done all at once," Dr Gordon said. "The exercise can be done in 10-minute intervals with the goal being at least 20 minutes in one day."

The guidelines also call for strength training using weights or resistance for about 10 to 15 repetitions two to three times a week.

Exercisers should aim to do eight to 10 different exercises working the legs, arms, back and other muscle groups.

"In a healthy person, typically we would recommend eight to 12 repetitions, but for stroke survivors we recommend lighter weights and more repetitions," Dr Gordon said.

And because stroke survivors often have balance problems, putting them at risk of falls, he suggests two to three sessions each week of balance or co-ordination exercises.

Surviving strokes

* New guidelines to reduce the risk of strokes recurring suggest walking or doing similar exercise for up to an hour two or three times a week.

* Repetitive strength training with weights is also encouraged, working the arms, legs and other muscles.

- REUTERS