Effects of High-intensity Aerobic Training on Balance, Walking Capacity, and Quality of Life in Patients With Sub-acute Stroke.

Inclusion criteria

• age 40-80 years; first episode of stroke; >4 weeks of stroke onset; hemiparesis resulting from unilateral ischaemic stroke; Ashworth score of 0 or 1, indicating no spasticity or slight spasticity over the affected lower limb, respectively; mini-mental state examination score ≥23; ability to perform independent walking for at least five minutes with or without an assistive device (FAC=3). All patients will be determined to be in stable cardiovascular condition with a low although slightly greater risk for vigorous exercise than for apparently healthy persons (class B according to the American College of Sports Medicine [ACSM]).13

Exclusion criteria

• Participants will be excluded from the study if they had any of the following: (1) chronic cardiorespiratory or metabolic diseases; (2) severe osteoporosis; and (3) lesions pertaining to the brainstem or cerebellum; (4) having resting blood pressure above 160/100 mmHg even after taking medications; (5) cardiovascular comorbidity (aortic stenosis, depression of ST-segment, heart failure, arrhythmias, unstable angina, hypertrophic cardio-myopathy); (6) transient ischemic attack; (7) by-pass surgery in the recent three months; and (8) other musculoskeletal problems that prevented the participants from doing aerobic activity.