Cardiovascular stress during in-patient neurorehabilitation

Abstract

Objective

To investigate the cardiovascular stress during therapeutic activities in patients following acquired brain injury and evaluate the impact of choice of formula on age-predicted maximal heart rate on cardiovascular stress level.

Design

A prospective observational study.

Setting

A Danish district neurorehabilitation centre.

Participants

Twenty-four in-patients undergoing therapeutic rehabilitation within the first month of admission.

Main outcome measures

Relative time distribution in relation to the target zones 40%, 60%, and 80% of the heart rate reserve during therapeutic sessions in relation to the Functional-Independent Measures motor score. Difference in therapeutic session time below 40% heart rate reserve using the formula ‘220 – age’ or ‘211 – 0.64 × age’ on maximal heart rate.

Results

The formula ‘211 – 0.64 × age’ on maximal heart rate increased the relative session time below 40% heart rate reserve significantly (p < .001). The cardiovascular stress during therapeutic activities exceeded 40% heart rate reserve in all subgroups within the Functional-Independent Measure motor domain, however, to a significantly less extent within the lowest functioning group (p < .05).

Conclusion

More focus on patients’ cardiovascular stress during therapeutic activities is needed especially in patients with low motor function to maintain or improve patients’ cardiorespiratory fitness.

Keywords:

• Neurorehabilitation
• cardiovascular stress
• exercise intensity
• self-monitoring

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Helle Rovsing Møller Jørgensen and physio- and occupational therapists at Neuroenhed Nord, Regional Hospital North Denmark for their contribution to the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the University College of Northern Denmark under Grant number (40334580).