The I-Score (Intensive Stroke Cycling for Optimal Recovery and Economic Value) Trial
Traditional rehabilitation approaches are time and personnel intensive and costly, and leave \ 75% of stroke survivors with residual disability. We propose a clinical trial to determine effects of forced aerobic exercise (FE; i.e., mechanically supplemented) in facilitating upper and lower extremity motor recovery post-stroke in an outpatient rehabilitation setting, to elucidate neural and biochemical substrates of FE-induced motor recovery, and to evaluate cost effectiveness of a FE-centered intervention compared to traditional stroke rehabilitation. The global effect of FE has the potential to enhance recovery in a growing population of stroke survivors in a cost-effective manner, thus accelerating its clinical acceptance.
• 3-9 months following single ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke confirmed with neuroimaging (ie: first-time stroke)
• Fugl-Meyer motor score 19-55 in the involved UE
• Fugl-Meyer score \<34 in the involved LE demonstrating residual hemiparesis
• Ambulatory ≥ 20 meters with no more than contact guard assistance
• 18-85 years of age