STOCKHOLM, Sept 21 — New European research has found that light to moderate intensity exercise, such as walking at least four hours a week or swimming two to three hours a week, may reduce the severity of a stroke.
Carried out by researchers at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, the new study looked at data gathered from 925 people with an average age of 73 who had experienced a stroke.
The researchers looked at stroke severity, basing their assessment on symptoms such as eye, arm and facial movements, level of consciousness, and language skills, identifying that of the study participants, 80 per cent had a mild stroke.
The participants were also asked to report on their level of physical activity before the stroke, answering questions about duration and intensity of exercise in order to calculate their average amount of physical activity, with the researchers asking relatives to confirm these reports if needed.
The findings, published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, showed that those who engaged in light to moderate physical activity before their stroke were twice as likely to have a mild stroke rather than a moderate or severe stroke when compared to those who were physically inactive.
Light physical activity was defined as walking at least four hours a week, while moderate physical activity was defined as more intense exercise such as swimming, brisk walking, or running two to three hours a week. However, the researchers found that light and moderate physical activity were equally beneficial.
“Stroke is a major cause of serious disability, so finding ways to prevent stroke or reduce the disability caused by stroke are important,” said study author Katharina S. Sunnerhagen, MD, PhD. “While exercise benefits health in many ways, our research suggests that even simply getting in a small amount of physical activity each week may have a big impact later by possibly reducing the severity of a stroke.”
“There is a growing body of evidence that physical activity may have a protective effect on the brain and our research adds to that evidence,” she added.
However, Sunnerhagen noted that the study does not prove that physical activity reduces stroke severity, it only shows an association. In addition, self reports on physical activity are subject to inaccuracies, and it is also possible that memory may be affected by a stroke, especially in those who suffered a more severe stroke.
“Further research is needed to better understand just how physical activity influences the severity of a stroke. Finally, physical inactivity should be monitored as a possible risk factor for severe stroke,” said Sunnerhagen. — AFP-Relaxnews
