A dose-response relationship between amount of weight-bearing exercise and walking outcome following cerebrovascular accident.

To supplement a motor relearning approach to rehabilitation for patients following cerebrovascular accident (CVA), a weight-bearing exercise was used that was designed specifically to strengthen the leg extensor muscles to simulate the output required in the single support phase of walking. For patients who were initially able to stand on their affected leg and step forward with their other leg, a dose-response relationship was found between an increasing number of repetitions of this weight-bearing exercise and improved walking outcome as measured on the Motor Assessment Scale (MAS) for stroke. For patients who could not stand and step forward at initial assessment (MAS-0), there was no relationship between the amount of practice done and walking outcome, however, all of the patients who practiced the exercise achieved independent walking for at least a 3m distance, which gave a final MAS score of three or greater.