Low intensity exercise related to less severe stroke



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Although exercise is beneficial to health in many ways, our research suggests that just doing a little physical activity each week can have a dramatic impact later on by reducing the severity of stroke. (Photo: Tom Giebel / Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

WASHINGTON – A study published Wednesday in the journal Neurology has shown that walking for at least 35 minutes a day can lead to less severe strokes.

"Although exercise is good for health in many ways, our research suggests that just getting a small amount of physical activity every week could have a significant impact later on by reducing the severity of an accident." brain, "says Katharina S. Sunnerhagen at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden.

The researchers examined two Swedish stroke registries and identified 925 people with a mean age of 73 who had a stroke, while 80% of them had mild stroke.

Participants were asked, after the stroke, how much they had moved or exercised during their free time before the stroke. Questions about duration and intensity of exercise were used to determine the average amount of physical activity.

Light physical activity was defined as walking for at least four hours a week. Moderate physical activity was defined as more intense exercise such as swimming, brisk walking, or running for two to three hours per week.

Of the participants, 52% said they were physically inactive before having a stroke.

The researchers found that people who engaged in light to moderate physical activity prior to their stroke were twice as likely to have mild stroke as a moderate or severe stroke compared to those who were inactive.

Of the 481 people who were physically inactive, 354 had mild stroke, or 73%. Of the 384 individuals engaged in light physical activity, 330 had a mild stroke of 85%. Of the 59 individuals who engaged in moderate physical activity, 53 had mild stroke, or 89%.

"There is growing evidence that physical activity can have a protective effect on the brain, and our research adds to that," Sunnerhagen said.

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