Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Effectiveness of Fast Muscle Activation and Stepping Training (FAST) on Balance and Mobility Post-stroke
Brief Summary: The purpose of this study is to determine whether FAST (Fast muscle Activation and Stepping Training) exercises will improve walking balance in individuals after stroke to a greater extent than usual care.

Hypothesis: The primary hypothesis is that improvements in walking balance will be larger following 12 sessions of FAST exercise retraining compared to usual care in persons in the sub-acute phase after stroke.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* Age \>/=18
* Stroke within 45-days
* Residual paresis in the lower extremity (fugl-meyer le motor score \< 34)
* Ability to sit unsupported for 30 seconds
* Ability to walk at least 10 feet with maximum 1 person assist
* Ability to follow a three step command
* Provision of informed consent
* A self-selected 10 meter gait speed less than 0.8 m/s at the 2-month post-stroke assessment
* Successful completion of an exercise tolerance test

Exclusion Criteria:

* Lived in nursing home prior to stroke
* Unable to ambulate at least 150 feet prior to stroke, or experienced intermittent claudication while walking less than 200 meters
* Serious cardiac conditions (history of congestive heart failure, documented serious and unstable cardiac arrhythmias, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, severe aortic stenosis, angina or dyspnea at rest or during activities of daily living). Anyone meeting New York Heart Association criteria for Class 3 or Class 4 heart disease will be excluded
* History of serious chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or oxygen dependence
* Severe weight bearing pain
* Preexisting neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Multiple Sclerosis (MS), dementia, or previous stroke with residual neurological deficits
* History of major head trauma
* Lower extremity amputation
* Non-healing ulcers on the lower extremity
* Renal dialysis or end stage liver disease
* Legal blindness or severe visual impairment
* A history of significant psychiatric illness defined by diagnosis of bipolar affective disorder, psychosis, schizophrenia or medication refractory depression
* Life expectancy less than one year
* Severe arthritis or orthopedic problems that limit passive ranges of motion of lower extremity (knee flexion contracture of -10°, knee flexion Range of Motion (ROM) \< 90°, hip flexion contracture \> 25°, and ankle plantar flexion contracture \> 15°
* History of sustained alcoholism or drug abuse in the last six months
* Major post-stroke depression as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire(PHQ-9 \>/= 10) that is not medically managed with antidepressant medication and/or psychotherapy
* History of pulmonary embolism within 6 months
* Uncontrollable diabetes with recent weight loss, diabetic coma, or frequent insulin reactions
* Severe hypertension with systolic greater than 200 mmHg and diastolic greater than 110 mmHg at rest,
* Previous or current enrollment in a clinical trial to enhance stroke motor recovery
* Lives more than 50 miles from the training sites
* Unable to travel 3 times per week for outpatient training programs
* Intracranial hemorrhage related to aneurysmal rupture or an arteriovenous malformation (hemorrhagic infarctions will not be excluded)

Inclusion and exclusion criteria will be determined by a chart review, depression screen and subject interview by study physician or study coordinator. After initial chart and subject interview, each subject's treating physician will be asked to review inclusion and exclusion criteria and provide a letter supporting inclusion in the study. All subjects who meet selection criteria must successfully complete an exercise tolerance test
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* veteran
* in the Indianapolis, IN area
* survived a stroke
* on blood pressure medication
* completed all rehabilitation
* ability to stand with or without a device
* able to speak and understand English
* a score \>4 out of 6 on the short mini mental status exam (MMSE)

Exclusion Criteria:

* would not commit to the yoga intervention
* self report of: serious cardiac conditions; history of serious chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or oxygen dependence; severe weight bearing pain; a history of significant psychiatric illness; uncontrollable diabetes with recent weight loss; and current enrollment in another research trial
C: INCLUSION

Ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke.

Hemiparesis in an upper extremity.

Age 21+.

Able to communicate in English (or Spanish,Rancho Los Amigos site only).

Willing to attend outpatient therapy \& f/u evaluations for 1 yr.

Some active finger extension.

EXCLUSION

Traumatic or non-vascular brain injury, subarachnoid hemorrhage, AV malformation.

History of psychiatric illness requiring hospitalization within past 24 mos.

Active drug treatment for dementia.

Neurologic condition that may affect motor response (e.g. Parkinson's, ALS, MS).

History of head trauma requiring \>48 hours of hospitalization within past 12 mos.

Amputation of all fingers or thumb of hemiparetic (weak) arm.

Treated with Botox in affected arm within last 3 months.
D: Study population: Subjects with a diagnosis of stroke

Inclusion Criteria:

* first stroke (\<6 months ago)
* presence of hemiparesis in the lower extremity
* minimum Berg Balance Score (BBS) of 30/56
* cognitive ability to give informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

* bilateral stroke, or a previous stroke in the other hemisphere
* severe co-morbidity that is likely to dominate the pattern of care
* co-existing peripheral neuropathies or disorders of the vestibular apparatus
* musculoskeletal problems
* global aphasia or receptive aphasia

Answer: D