The Application of Cycling and Cycling Combined with Feedback in the Rehabilitation of Stroke Patients: A Review

Have your doctor compare the effectiveness of recovery using cycling vs. ellipticals vs. treadmills.  You do expect your doctor to know this simple  recovery modality? Don't you? Oh my God, they mentioned test protocols.
http://www.strokejournal.org/article/S1052-3057%2814%2900462-5/abstract

David Barbosa, BSc

,

Cristina P. Santos, PhD

,

Maria Martins, MS

Department of Industrial Electronics, University of Minho, Azurém, Guimarães, Portugal

Received: June 3, 2014; Received in revised form: August 29, 2014; Accepted: September 6, 2014; Published Online: November 21, 2014

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2014.09.006

Publication stage: In Press Corrected Proof

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Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disabilities, such as hemiparesis, inability to walk without assistance, and dependence of others in the activities of daily living. Motor function rehabilitation after stroke demands for methods oriented to the recovery of the walking capacity. Because of the similarities with walking, cycling leg exercise may present a solution to this problem. The aim of this article is to review the state of the art applications of cycling leg exercise as a (1) motor function rehabilitation method and an (2) aerobic training method for stroke patients as well as the commonly used (3) assessment tools. The cycling characteristics and applications, the applied test protocols as well as the tools used to assess the state and the recovery of patients and types of cycling devices are presented. In addition, the potential benefits of the use of other therapies, like feedback, together with cycling are explored. The application of cycling leg exercise alone and combined with feedback in stroke rehabilitation approaches has shown promising results. Positive effects on motor abilities were found in subacute and chronic patients. However, larger and normalized studies and assessments are needed because there is a high heterogeneity in the patients' characteristics, protocols and metrics. This wil allow the comparison between different studies related with cycling.