The Influence of Physical Activity on Quality Life in Patients With Stroke Sequel Performing Physical Therapy

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Stroke is one of the most common neurological disorders and incapacitating during aging resulting in the decrease of quality life. Quality of life is the set of conditions that contribute to the physical and mental welfare of individuals in society, directly related to physical activity that aims at a favorable effect on the maintenance of one or more components of physical fitness.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of physical activity in quality of life in patients after stroke who perform physical therapy.

METHOD: The study was conducted with 11 individuals with stroke sequels, which were divided into two groups: the first group was composed of 4 individuals who practiced regular physical activity (AFR group). To compose the second group, 7 subjects who do not practice regular physical activity (AFN group). They were applied to the individual SF-36 and WHOQOL-Brefcom order to show whether there are significant differences in the fields related to quality of life between the two groups.

RESULTS: There was a higher scorer for the item pain in AFN group. The domain that showed higher averages in active people in general was the domain named general health (66.5). AFN in the domain group that has lower average compared to other aspects is the so-called physical (39.3).

CONCLUSION: Regular physical activity brings beneficial physiological effects the quality of life, although this study was not able to evaluate statistically significant differences in the analyzed domains.