The effects of cycling on the lower limb motor function and walking ability of hemiplegic stroke patients

Objective To investigate the effects of exercising on a cycle ergometer on lower limb motor function and the walking ability of hemiplegic stroke patients. Methods Sixty hemiplegic stroke patients were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group with 30 in each. Both groups were treated with routine rehabilitation, but the treatment group also undertook cycle ergometer training. The training lasted for 10-20 min/d, 6 d/week for 6 weeks. All patients were assessed with the Fugl-Meyer lower limb assessment ( FMA), functional ambulation category (FAC) classification and the modified Barthel index (MBI) pretreatment and 6 weeks post treatment.Results Before intervention there was no significant difference between the two groups in any of the assessments. Six weeks post treatment, the average FMA, FCA classification and MBI results in the treatment group were significantly better than those pretreatment and better than those in the control group. Conclusions Cycling exercise combined with routine rehabilitation training can distinctly improve the motor function of the lower limbs and the walking ability of hemiplegic stroke patients. Key words: Stroke;  Cycle ergometer;  Lower limb motor function ;  Walking ability