BACKGROUND: Several interventions have been proposed to rehabilitate patients with neurologic dysfunctions due to stroke. However, the effectiveness of circuit-based exercises according to its actual definition, ie, an overall program to improve strength, stamina, balance or functioning, was not provided. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effectiveness of circuit-based exercise in the treatment of people affected by stroke. METHODS: A search through PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Physiotherapy Evidence Database databases was performed to identify controlled clinical trials without language or date restriction. The overall mean difference with 95% confidence interval was calculated for all outcomes. Two independent reviewers assessed the risk of bias. RESULTS: Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria, and 8 presented suitable data to perform a meta-analysis. Quantitative analysis showed that circuit-based exercise was more effective than conventional intervention on gait speed (mean difference of 0.11 m/s) and circuit-based exercise was not significantly more effective than conventional intervention on balance and functional mobility. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated that circuit-based exercise presents better effects on gait when compared with conventional intervention and that its effects on balance and functional mobility were not better than conventional interventions. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: I.
BACKGROUND: Several interventions have been proposed to rehabilitate patients with neurologic dysfunctions due to stroke. However, the effectiveness of circuit-based exercises according to its actual definition, ie, an overall program to improve strength, stamina, balance or functioning, was not provided. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effectiveness of circuit-based exercise in the treatment of people affected by stroke. METHODS: A search through PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Physiotherapy Evidence Database databases was performed to identify controlled clinical trials without language or date restriction. The overall mean difference with 95% confidence interval was calculated for all outcomes. Two independent reviewers assessed the risk of bias. RESULTS: Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria, and 8 presented suitable data to perform a meta-analysis. Quantitative analysis showed that circuit-based exercise was more effective than conventional intervention on gait speed (mean difference of 0.11 m/s) and circuit-based exercise was not significantly more effective than conventional intervention on balance and functional mobility. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated that circuit-based exercise presents better effects on gait when compared with conventional intervention and that its effects on balance and functional mobility were not better than conventional interventions. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: I.
Authors: Loretta Dipietro; Wayne W Campbell; David M Buchner; Kirk I Erickson; Kenneth E Powell; Bonny Bloodgood; Timothy Hughes; Kelsey R Day; Katrina L Piercy; Alison Vaux-Bjerke; Richard D Olson Journal: Med Sci Sports Exerc Date: 2019-06 Impact factor: 5.411