# Promoting Recovery Optimization with WALKing Exercise after Stroke (PROWALKS)

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE · 2020 · $699,131

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
The overarching goal of this research is to develop interventions that improve the overall health and quality of
life of individuals post-stroke. As a group, stroke survivors are more physically inactive than even the most
sedentary older adults. Lack of physical activity has serious consequences in persons with stroke, including an
increased risk of recurrent stroke, developing other diseases and mortality. Current rehabilitation interventions
do little to improve real-world walking activity after stroke, suggesting that simply improving walking capacity is
not sufficient for improving daily physical activity after stroke. Rather, we hypothesize that the combination of a
fast walking intervention that improves walking capacity, with a step activity monitoring program that facilitates
translation of gains from the clinic to the “real-world”, would generate greater improvements in real world
walking activity than with either intervention alone. Data from our lab provides support for this hypothesis;
however, it suggests that the greater efficacy of combining the 2 interventions depends on a participant's initial
walking activity. Thus, we do not expect that one intervention will be superior to the others for all participants,
but rather that the combined intervention will be superior for those with low levels of baseline walking activity,
speed and endurance. The specific objective of this proposal is to test whether and for whom combining fast
walking training with a step activity monitoring program (FAST+SAM) is superior in improving real-world
walking activity compared to fast walking training alone (FAST) or a step activity monitoring and feedback
program alone (SAM) in those with chronic stroke. Using a randomized controlled experimental design, 225
chronic (> 6 months) stroke survivors, will complete 12 weeks of fast walking training (FAST), a step activity
monitoring program (SAM) or a fast walking training + step activity monitoring program (FAST+SAM).The
primary (steps per day), secondary (self-selected and fastest walking speed, walking endurance, oxygen
consumption) and exploratory (vascular events, blood lipids, glucose, blood pressure) outcomes will be
assessed by blinded evaluators prior to initiating treatment, after the last treatment and at a 6 and 12 month
follow-up. Moderation of specific intervention outcomes by baseline characteristics will be evaluated to
determine for whom the interventions are effective. Following completion of this study, we will not only
understand the efficacy of the interventions and the individuals for which they are effective, we will have the
necessary information to design a study investigating the secondary prevention benefits of improved physical
activity post-stroke. This study is, therefore, an important step in the development of secondary prevention
guidelines for persons with stroke.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9962466
- **Project number:** 5R01HD086362-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE
- **Principal Investigator:** DARCY S. REISMAN
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $699,131
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-09-01 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9962466

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9962466, Promoting Recovery Optimization with WALKing Exercise after Stroke (PROWALKS) (5R01HD086362-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9962466. Licensed CC0.

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