Treadmill Exercises Help Stroke Victims Retrain Brain and Body

By Richard Shank

New research at Johns Hopkins University reveals that it is never too late for the brain and body to recover after a stroke. This research demonstrated that people who walk on a treadmill even years after stroke damage can significantly improve their health and mobility.

Stroke impairs mobility and fitness. These impairments are known to promote chronic disability, meaning it is important to focus on enhancing the physical abilities of stroke victims so that the long-term effects can be minimized.

In this study, researchers examined the hypothesis that “progressive task-repetitive treadmill exercise (T-EX) improves fitness and gait function in subjects with chronic stroke by inducing adaptations in the brain (plasticity).” The underlying assumption is that the brain exhibits plasticity by being able to respond and rewire itself in response to repetitive training exercises. The result will be an increased ability to coordinate physical movements coupled with the physical strength gained through the exercises.

The researchers utilized a randomized control trial to determine the effects of a six-month targeted exercise program on walking ability, aerobic fitness, and brain functioning. These results were compared to a concurrent group who were subjected to a stretching exercise program.

They found that those in the T-EX program exhibited significantly more improvement in brain activity than their peers in the comparison group. Furthermore, they found that these increases in brain activation were highly correlated with increased walking velocity.

Stroke patients are typically told to “learn to live” with their disabilities, however these results suggest that “learning to live” with the consequences of a stroke does not mean that chronic disability is inevitable. Rather, learning to live with a stroke might require a disciplined approach to improving health and physical mobility through walking and exercise. The authors of this report suggest that exercise gives these individuals a way to counteract the negative impact of strokes.

Source: Andreas R. Luft, Richard Macko, Larry W. Forrester, et al. 2008. Treadmill exercise activates subcortical neural networks and improves walking after stroke. A randomized controlled trial. Stroke 108: 527-531.

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