Cronin Eimear, Monaghan Kenneth
Neuroplasticity Research Group, ATU Sligo, Ash Lane, Ballytivnan, Sligo, Ireland.
Physiotherapy Department, St. John's Hospital, Sligo, Ireland.
Contemp Clin Trials Commun. 2023 Jan 20;32:101068. doi: 10.1016/j.conctc.2023.101068. eCollection 2023 Apr.
Stroke survivors often demonstrate low physical activity levels and experience barriers to physical exercise including embarrassment, low self-efficacy and a shortage of tailored community exercise programmes. Access to physical activity programmes for stroke survivors could be improved by providing tailored, online programmes, although little is known about the safety and feasibility of online exercise classes for stroke survivors. One such programme of exercise which has received little attention in the literature is neuropilates. Neuropilates is the practice of a modified pilates programme in those with neurological conditions and is theorised to have beneficial effects on strength, balance and proprioception in stroke survivors. No previous study has been conducted to investigate online, remotely supervised neuropilates exercise classes in the stroke survivors.
This single assessor blinded randomised controlled feasibility study will compare a 6-week online, remotely instructed neuropilates programme to a 6-week online, remotely instructed generalised exercise programme and a 6-week unsupervised generalised home exercise programme in chronic stroke patients. Twenty adults, at least 6 months post stroke, and finished their formal rehabilitation will be recruited to the study. Primary feasibility outcome measures will include patient tolerance of the programme, adherence rates, adverse events, recruitment and retention. Secondary clinical outcomes will include; balance, gait, tone and quality of life. Assessments will be completed at baseline, on programme completion and 3 months post completion by a Physiotherapist blinded to the group allocation.
This study has received ethical approval from the Sligo University Hospital Ethics committee and ATU ethics board. Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences.The trial has been registered on clinicaltrials.gov (Identifier: NCT04491279).
中风幸存者的身体活动水平往往较低，且在体育锻炼方面存在诸多障碍，包括尴尬感、自我效能感低以及缺乏量身定制的社区锻炼项目。提供量身定制的在线项目或许可以改善中风幸存者参与体育活动项目的机会，不过对于中风幸存者在线锻炼课程的安全性和可行性，我们知之甚少。文献中很少受到关注的一种锻炼项目是神经普拉提。神经普拉提是针对患有神经系统疾病的人群对传统普拉提项目进行改良后的练习方式，理论上对中风幸存者的力量、平衡和本体感觉有益。此前尚无研究对中风幸存者在线、远程监督的神经普拉提锻炼课程进行调查。
这项由单一评估者进行盲法评估的随机对照可行性研究，将把一项为期6周的在线、远程指导的神经普拉提项目，与一项为期6周的在线、远程指导的一般性锻炼项目以及一项为期6周的无监督一般性家庭锻炼项目，在慢性中风患者中进行比较。将招募20名中风后至少6个月且已完成正式康复的成年人参与该研究。主要可行性结果指标将包括患者对项目的耐受性、依从率、不良事件、招募和留存情况。次要临床结果将包括：平衡、步态、肌张力和生活质量。评估将由对分组情况不知情的物理治疗师在基线、项目完成时以及完成后3个月进行。
本研究已获得斯莱戈大学医院伦理委员会和大西洋理工大学伦理委员会的伦理批准。研究结果将发表在同行评审期刊上，并在国内和国际会议上展示。该试验已在clinicaltrials.gov上注册（标识符：NCT04491279）。
