How Walking Can Help with Stroke Recovery

Stroke therapy that focuses on regularly increasing intensity walking may lead to better results when it comes to recovery.

At least, that’s what new research from the American Heart Association indicates.

A team from the University of British Columbia looked at 12 different stroke recovery units across Canada, and over 300 different patients. At the beginning of the study, the average participant was able to walk 498 feet over the span of six minutes. The participants were split into two groups: the old standard of care group and the new protocol group. The new group had a goal of 30 minutes of weight training or physical activity per day, with the intensity being increased over time. An activity monitoring device was used to help track this.

The research team looked at both physical and cognitive wellbeing during this study, and found that both aspects improved. The training was personalized based on each individual’s needs throughout the life of the study.

New research points to the value of walking and increased intensity when it comes to stroke recovery.

The team of participants from the new protocol treatment saw their ability to walk increase by about 143 feet further than the previous standards group. The new protocol group also saw general overall increases to the quality of life that they experienced.

It’s important to note that this exercise regimen took place under the guidance of professionals. While there’s likely benefit to any kind of exercise, it is very important that exercise take place under the watchful eye of a medical professional, especially when a severe health issue like a stroke is present. It’s important to have a team helping provide guidance and feedback so that the potential treatment doesn’t make the underlying condition even worse. In this instance, all of the therapists at each of the 12 sites received training in how to assist and keep the participants safe while training.

The team plans on presenting their findings at the American Stroke Association International Conference 2025 in the near future. The information included in this blog came from a press release made by the American Heart Association. Cardiovascular disease is one of the biggest killers in the world, and the number one killer in the United States. Stroke and heart attack are major contributors to this. Hopefully, this research helps doctors to improve the quality of life that people face and help prevent premature death.

If you or a loved one has suffered from a stroke, recovery is probably one of your main focuses right now. There’s a lot here that needs to be taken into account, and one of the biggest hurdles is getting connected to the right senior care service.

We’d love to help with that. We offer free consultation sessions designed to answer questions, go over your unique situation, and then get you steered down the right path. Our professional caregivers are experts in the field, and are always happy to help you get the assistance that you need. You might find that Paradise In-Home Care is the ideal service for you. And if we’re not, we’d love to get you connected to the right one.