WALKE.a.S.Y

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  WALKEaSY: Walk Easy after Stroke in the Young.

• IRAS ID

  312424

• Contact name

  Hannah Jarvis

• Contact email

  hannah.jarvis@mmu.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Manchester Metropolitan University

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 0 months, 7 days

• Research summary

  Stroke is a global health problem and the incidence of stroke in young adults (under 65 years) has increased by 40% in the past decade. Although our understanding of the causes of stroke in younger adults has improved greatly, there has been little research into improving or tailoring rehabilitation for the younger population. Nearly all stroke rehabilitation research is expensive and ineffective with poor adherence which remains focused on the older population who have different needs and aims to young adults. Young stroke survivors walk slower and less efficiently than age-matched healthy controls. Many are unable to complete activities of daily living, live independently and mobilise in the community. Our previous work identified that walking speed is a predictor of ability to return to employment, therefore improving the walking performance (I.e. increasing the walking speed) of young stroke survivors could improve not only potential to return to employment but also complete day to day activities. As yet, very few rehabilitation programmes have significantly improved walking performance in stroke survivors and none that have improved performance specifically for young stroke survivors (there have been no studies conducted).
  One of the potential reasons for why stroke rehabilitation remains largely ineffective is that different rehabilitation programmes have largely failed to improve physical function of stroke survivors and the components of rehabilitation remain separate entities in stroke rehabilitation research. Previous research have provided rehabilitation programmes that focus on one core theme (e.g. biomechanical function or aerobic capacity) and tested only biomechanics, neuromuscular physiological changes, aerobic capacity, muscle strength and flexibility, rather than looking at how each of these interact with each other and could affect walking performance. The present study aims to explore the interacting nature of the themes above in an attempt to improve future interventions for young stroke survivors.
  

• REC name

  Wales REC 7

• REC reference

  22/WA/0202

• Date of REC Opinion

  16 Aug 2022

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion