Face to face and telephone-based self-management programmes were identified as having promise to engage stroke survivors in PA behaviour change .
Background Increasing physical activity ( PA ) levels ( regular movement such as walking and activities of daily living ) and reducing time spent sedentary improves cardiovascular health and reduces morbidity and mortality .
Fewer than 30 % of independently mobile stroke survivors undertake recommended levels of PA .
Sedentary behaviour is also high in this population .
We aim ed to systematic ally review the study characteristics and the promise of interventions targeting free-living PA and /or sedentary behaviour in adult stroke survivors .
Reducing Sitting Time After Stroke: A Phase II Safety and Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial.
OBJECTIVE To test the safety , feasibility , and effectiveness of reducing sitting time in stroke survivors . DESIGN R and omized controlled trial with attention-matched controls and blinded assessment s. SETTING Community . PARTICIPANTS Stroke survivors ( N=35 ; 22 men ; mean age , 66.9±12.7y ) . INTERVENTIONS Four counseling sessions over 7 weeks with a message of sit less and move more ( intervention group ) or calcium for bone health ( attention-matched control group ) . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Measures included safety ( adverse events , increases in pain , spasticity , or fatigue ) and feasibility ( adherence to trial protocol ) . Secondary measures included time spent sitting ( including in prolonged bouts ≥30min ) , st and ing , and stepping as measured by the thigh-worn inclinometer ( 7d , 24h/d protocol ) and time spent in physical activity of at least moderate intensity as measured by a triaxial accelerometer . The Multimedia Activity Recall for Children and Adults was used to describe changes in use of time . RESULTS Thirty-three participants completed the full protocol . Four participants reported falls during the intervention period with no other adverse events . From a baseline average of 640.7±99.6min/d  , daily sitting time  reduced on average by 30±50.6min/d ( 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] , 5.8 - 54.6 ) in the intervention group and 40.4±92.5min/d in the control group ( 95 % CI , 13.0 - 93.8 ) . Participants in both groups also reduced their time spent in prolonged sitting bouts ( ≥30min ) and increased time spent st and ing and stepping . CONCLUSIONS Our protocol was both safe and feasible . Participants in both groups spent less time sitting and more time st and ing and stepping postintervention , but outcomes were not superior for intervention participants . Attention matching is desirable in clinical trials and may have contributed to the positive outcomes for control participants
Face to face and telephone-based self-management programmes were identified as having promise to engage stroke survivors in PA behaviour change .
Background Increasing physical activity ( PA ) levels ( regular movement such as walking and activities of daily living ) and reducing time spent sedentary improves cardiovascular health and reduces morbidity and mortality .
Fewer than 30 % of independently mobile stroke survivors undertake recommended levels of PA .
Sedentary behaviour is also high in this population .
We aim ed to systematic ally review the study characteristics and the promise of interventions targeting free-living PA and /or sedentary behaviour in adult stroke survivors .