Sports Med Rehabil J | Volume 3, Issue 3 | Research Article | Open Access
Ingrid Brenner*
Trent University, Fleming School of Nursing, Canada
*Correspondance to: Ingrid Brenner
Fulltext PDFStroke-induced hemiplegia is a life-changing event leading to permanent disability and limited movement. The general goals of rehabilitation for the hemiplegic stroke patient are to maintain and improve current function, delay the progression of disease and reduce the risk of another stroke from occurring. Passive exercise has been used for treating stroke patients; however, the efficacy of such interventions is unknown.
Purpose: Thus, the purpose of this literature review was to investigate the efficacy and safety of passive exercise interventions for patients with hemiplegia with a focus on those interventions that could be used in the home setting.
Methods: Medline and CINAHL data bases were searched for articles related to passive exercise training and hemiplegia.
Results: Two types of passive exercise interventions used to treat stroke patients that could be used in the home setting were identified in the literature:
1. Continuous Passive Motion (CPM)
2. Use of motorized-cycle ergometers.
CPM interventions were found to significantly decrease edema and muscle spasticity/stiffness as well as improve motor function. Passive cycle- ergometer exercise training protocols indicated that improvements in motor control and balance can occur following training. There were no reports of any adverse events associated with use of the CPM or passive cycle-ergometry.
Conclusion: Passive exercise is safe to perform by hemiplegic stroke patients and can induce functional improvement. Future research is required to determine best practice guidelines for optimizing exercise prescription for passive exercise using these devices in persons with hemiplegia.
Cerebral vascular event; Stroke; Passive exercise; Continuous passive motion; Physical function
Brenner I. Effects of Passive Exercise Training in Hemiplegic Stroke Patients: A Mini-Review. Sports Med Rehabil J. 2018; 3(3): 1036 .