A new study shows that people who walk at least three to four hours a week are 54% less likely to die after a stroke. The same goes for working in the garden every day or cycling for at least two to three hours a week and their equivalents. In addition, the study results show the greatestBenefits of physical exercisefor younger stroke survivors. For people under 75 who did at least this much exercise per week, the risk of death was reduced by 80%.
Carry out your own rehabilitation after a stroke by taking weekly walks
The results are very exciting for the study authors. Just three to four hours of walking per week was associated with a significant reduction in mortality. This could be an achievable goal for many people with previous strokes. The new findings could also have implications for guidelines for stroke survivors in the future. Researchers measured average weekly physical activity using questions about activities. These related to walking, running, gardening, strength training, cycling and swimming. They used the frequency and duration of each type of physical activity to calculate the amount of exercise. After controlling for other factors, researchers found that 25% of people who had previous strokes died from some cause. They compared this data with 6% of the test subjects who had never suffered a stroke.
The greatest reduction in mortality rates was among those who had a previous stroke but were under 75 years old. In this group, 11% of those who exercised at least the minimum amount died, compared to 29% who did not. The new research suggests that minimal physical activity may reduce long-term all-cause mortality in stroke patients. The authors emphasize this particularly for younger individuals, as short daily walks provide the greatest health benefits for them. A limitationthis studyhowever, was that participants may not have accurately reported their exercise intensity.
