Physical Exercise as Treatment Post-stroke Fatigue - a Feasibilty Study.

Type of treatment FaStEx (FatigueStrokeExercise) - Structured physiotherapist-led exercise intervention.

Dose Strength training for 45 minutes, twice a week for eight weeks.

Components of exercises All training sessions will have the same structure and consist of warm-up, strength training and cool-down.

Each training session starts with a 10-minute warm-up on an exercise bike or through body movements. The strength training is performed as station training with one participant/station. The stations consist of eight different exercises. The participant performs 12 repetitions, 3 sets/exercise, 30 seconds rest between each set. Then rest and transfer to the next station, about 1 min. The load should be 10-12 RM and as a load are used body weight, dumbbells, gym machines, rubber bands, weight cuffs or kettlebells.

Exercises

1. Legs - leg press, squat or raise. 2. Arms - biceps curls (dumbbells or rubber bands). 3. Legs - Knee extension with load (gym machine, weight cuff, rubber band, cable station). 4. Shoulder - lat pull down (gym machine, rubber band). 5. Core - sit-ups or other core training. 6. Shoulder - rowing (cable station, rubber bands, dumbbells). 7. Balance - stand on one leg, tandem standing. 8. Legs - step-up board.

The training session ends with a cool-down through body movements and stretching.

Estimation of exertion with Borg RPE and brain fatigue with VAS before and after the session.

Place The training sessions are carried out in a training room at a health center.

Modifications Alternative exercises will be suggested by the instructor if necessary, e.g. the need for other equipment or support during the exercise. Participants are encouraged to perform the exercises to the best of their ability.

Choice of instructor The instructors are licensed physiotherapists who work in primary care in Region Örebro County who are used to instructing and individualizing training.

Home training In addition to the structured physiotherapist-led training, all participants in the study (control and intervention group) should independently perform aerobic physical activity of at least 150 min/v at a moderate intensity (Borg RPE 12-13). In connection with the start of the intervention, the participants receive an advisory conversation about physical activity to support how they can achieve 150 min/week.

Adherence Participation in strength training will be noted by the treating physiotherapist. Adherence to achieving physical activity for 150 min/w will be followed by participants filling out an activity diary.

• Chair stand test. [Срок оценки: Baseline. End of treament at 8 weeks.]
• Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale [Срок оценки: Baseline. End of treament at 8 weeks.]
• Patient health questionnaire [Срок оценки: Baseline. End of treament at 8 weeks.]
• 6 minute walking test [Срок оценки: Baseline. End of treament at 8 weeks.]
• RAND 36 [Срок оценки: Baseline. End of treament at 8 weeks.]
• Levels of physical activity [Срок оценки: Measurement will take place 1 week before baseline and 1 week after the intervention at 8 weeks.]
• Sedentary time [Срок оценки: Measurement will take place 1 week before baseline and 1 week after the intervention at 8 weeks.]
• Levels of physical activity (self-reported) [Срок оценки: Measurement will take place continuously from baseline to end of treatment at 8 weeks]