Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to examine the amount of physical activity performed by inpatients with stroke in convalescent rehabilitation wards, focusing on their mobility levels.
Methods: This multicenter, cross-sectional study included inpatients with stroke from seven convalescent rehabilitation wards. One month after admission, 119 participants were categorized into three groups based on the Functional Ambulation Categories (FAC) and Functional Independence Measure (FIM): (1) walking independence group (FAC 4 or higher), (2) wheelchair self-drive group (FAC 3 or lower, with an FIM wheelchair drive score of 6), and (3) mobility non-independence group (FAC 3 or lower, with an FIM wheelchair drive score of 5 or lower). Physical activity was monitored using a triaxial accelerometer (HJA-750C), and sedentary behavior, light-intensity physical activity (LIPA), and moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) at 1 month of admission were compared among the three groups.
Results: Median (interquartile range) time spent in sedentary behaviors were significantly longer than the mobility non-independence group [600.6 (547.6, 636.4) minutes] than the wheelchair self-drive group [537.6 (480.0, 592.2) minutes] and walking independence group [502.1 (449.9, 563.2) minutes]. For time spent in LIPA, the mobility non-independence group [98.8 (76.5, 134.0) minutes] was significantly shorter than the wheelchair self-drive group [195.0 (165.9, 247.3) minutes] and the walking independence group [155.4 (138.0, 218.5) minutes]. For time spent in MVPA, the walking independence group [17.4 (5.6, 33.9) minutes] was significantly longer than the mobility non-independence group [2.4 (1.3, 4.0) minutes] and the wheelchair self-drive group [2.3 (1.7, 6.7) minutes].
Conclusion: Among inpatients with stroke in convalescent rehabilitation wards, those able to drive a wheelchair independently engaged in light-intensity physical activity for a duration similar to that of those able to walk independently.
