Relationship between physical activity levels and changes in skeletal muscle characteristics in patients with stroke

Yosuke Kimura; Yuhei Otobe; Mizue Suzuki; Shu Tanaka; Iwao Kojima; Yoshiki Suzuki; Chihiro Oyamada; Daishun Kobayashi; Koji Hamanaka; Minoru Yamada

doi:10.1080/09638288.2023.2272715

Relationship between physical activity levels and changes in skeletal muscle characteristics in patients with stroke

Disabil Rehabil. 2023 Oct 23:1-7. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2023.2272715. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Yosuke Kimura¹, Yuhei Otobe², Mizue Suzuki³, Shu Tanaka⁴, Iwao Kojima⁵, Yoshiki Suzuki⁶, Chihiro Oyamada⁶, Daishun Kobayashi⁶, Koji Hamanaka⁶, Minoru Yamada⁷

Affiliations

¹ College of Science and Engineering, Health Science and Technology Course, Kanto Gakuin University, Yokohama, Japan.
² Graduate School of Rehabilitation Science, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, Japan.
³ Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Yamato University, Osaka, Japan.
⁴ Major of Physical Therapy, Department of Rehabilitation, School of Health Sciences, Tokyo University of Technology, Tokyo, Japan.
⁵ Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tokyo, Japan.
⁶ Department of Rehabilitation, Tokyo Shinjuku Medical Center, Japan Community Health care Organization, Tokyo, Japan.
⁷ Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tokyo, Japan.

PMID: 37870203
DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2023.2272715

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between physical activity (PA) levels and short-term changes in skeletal muscle characteristics in patients with subacute hemiparetic stroke.

Materials and methods: This prospective observational study included 76 patients with stroke who received inpatient care in a convalescent rehabilitation ward. The PA level was measured as the duration of daily total PA (≥ 1.5 metabolic equivalents) using a triaxial accelerometer for 7 days after admission. The outcomes were changes in the quadriceps muscle quality and quantity on the affected and unaffected sides, as assessed by ultrasonography at admission and 1 month after admission.

Results: Multiple regression analysis indicated that the duration of total PA was significantly associated with a percentage change in quadriceps muscle quality (p = 0.011) and quantity (p = 0.012) on the affected side. However, no significant relationship was observed between the muscle quality and quantity on the unaffected side.

Conclusions: The results revealed that PA was associated with changes in the quadriceps muscle quality and quantity on the affected side in patients with subacute hemiparetic stroke. These findings highlight the importance of promoting PA in stroke rehabilitation to improve muscle properties and functional outcomes.

Keywords: Stroke; muscle quality; muscle quantity; physical activity; ultrasound.

Plain language summary

Improving skeletal muscle quality and quantity is an important goal in post-stroke rehabilitation.We investigated physical activity and post-stroke changes in muscle properties.Physical activity is related to changes in muscle quantity and quality on the affected side.Promoting physical activity is essential for improving muscle quantity and quality on the affected side.