Clinical trial NCT01003353: Strength Training for Chronic Stroke Patients
Official title: Maximal Strength Training for Chronic Phase Stroke Patients
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Stroke
Keywords: Stroke
Strength training
exercise therapy
Lead sponsor: Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2009-10-28
Enrollment: 10
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 67
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: NA
Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: The study aims to investigate the effects of strength training on maximal strength, walking ability and neural function in chronic stroke patients. The strength training intervention in this study is different to all previous interventions for stroke patients.

Maximal Strength Training (MST) involves weights of up to 90% of the participants 1 repetition maximum and has a focus on the explosive development of force. This study will use these principles for unilateral leg press and plantarflexion exercises. Only 2 previous studies have investigated high intensity strength training for stroke patients and they used intensities of 80% 1RM. Previous MST interventions have shown large increases in strength, rate of force development and this has transferred to improved walking economy.

The investigators predict that MST will give large increases in strength, improved rate of force development (RFD) and walking economy. The investigators expect that better neural function will account for the improvements. This study could provide evidence for the adoption of a completely different method of strength rehabilitation for stroke survivors.


Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Under 67 years old
* Suffered from a stroke at least 6 months previously
* Living in the Trondheim area such that travel costs can be covered by 1500 NOK
* Must be able to walk, although use of aids is permitted

Exclusion Criteria:

* Participants must not have cognitive, visuospatial or comprehension deficits to magnitude such that it interferes with the ability to perform testing and training
* Participants must be medically unstable (e.g. uncontrollably high blood pressure (140/90), arrythmia, other heart instabilities or other known comorbid diseases)
* Participants must not be known to be pregnant

Primary outcomes:
measure: Unilateral 1 repetition maximum for leg press and plantarflexion
timeFrame: November 2009-March 2010
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Rate of force development in unilateral leg press and plantarflexion
timeFrame: November 2009 - March 2010
measure: Maximal oxygen uptake and walking economy
timeFrame: November 2009 - March 2010
measure: Timed Up and Go Test
timeFrame: November 2009 - March 2010
measure: 4 Step Balance Test
timeFrame: November 2009 - March 2010
measure: V-Wave (using sEMG equipment) of soleus during static plantarflexion
timeFrame: November 2009 - March 2010
measure: Blood lipid profile
timeFrame: November 2009 - March 2010
measure: 6 Minute Walk Test
timeFrame: November 2009 - March 2010
measure: Jump Height of a countermovement jump
timeFrame: November 2009 - March 2010
measure: SF-36 Quality of life questionnaire, Norwegian version
timeFrame: November 2009 - March 2010
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Trondheim
country: Norway
facility: Avdeling for ervervede hjerneskader, Klinikk for fysikalsk medisin og rehabilitering, St Olavs Hospital
Study officials:
affiliation: St.Olav's University hospital
name: Tom Tørhaug, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: National Taiwan Normal University
name: Jan Hoff, PhD
role: STUDY_CHAIR
affiliation: National Taiwan Normal University
name: Jan Helgerud
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: National Taiwan Normal University
name: Tor Ivar Gjellesvik
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: National Taiwan Normal University
name: Marius Fimland
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: National Taiwan Normal University
name: Per Marius R Moen
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: National Taiwan Normal University
name: Tessa Hill
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Hill TR, Gjellesvik TI, Moen PM, Torhaug T, Fimland MS, Helgerud J, Hoff J. Maximal strength training enhances strength and functional performance in chronic stroke survivors. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2012 May;91(5):393-400. doi: 10.1097/PHM.0b013e31824ad5b8.