Fitness

HIIT May Best Moderate Exercise for Poststroke Fitness

Published

1 year ago

August 23, 2024

HIIT May Best Moderate Exercise for Poststroke Fitness

Repeated 1-minute bursts of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) are more effective than conventional moderate, continuous exercise for improving aerobic fitness after stroke, according to a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

“We hoped that we would see improvements in cardiovascular fitness after HIIT and anticipated that these improvements would be greater than in the moderate-intensity group, but we were pleasantly surprised by the degree of improvement we observed,” Ada Tang, PT, PhD, associate professor of health sciences at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, told Medscape Medical News. “The improvements seen in the HIIT group were twofold higher than in the other group.”

The results were published on August 7 in Stroke.

Clinically Meaningful

Researchers compared the effects of 12 weeks of short-interval HIIT with those of moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on peak oxygen uptake (V̇O₂peak), cardiovascular risk factors, and mobility outcomes after stroke.

They randomly assigned participants to receive 3 days per week of HIIT or traditional moderate exercise sessions for 12 weeks. Participants’ mean age was 65 years, and 39% were women. They enrolled at a mean age of 1.8 years after sustaining a mild stroke.

A total of 42 participants were randomized to HIIT and 40 to MICT. There were no significant differences between the groups at baseline, and both groups exercised on adaptive recumbent steppers, which are suitable for stroke survivors with varying abilities.

The short-interval HIIT protocol involved 10 1-minute intervals of high-intensity exercise, interspersed with nine 1-minute low-intensity intervals, for a total of 19 minutes. HIIT intervals targeted 80% heart rate reserve (HRR) and progressed by 10% every 4 weeks up to 100% HRR. The low-intensity intervals targeted 30% HRR.

The traditional MICT protocol for stroke rehabilitation targeted 40% HRR for 20 minutes and progressed by 10% HRR and 5 minutes every 4 weeks, up to 60% HRR for 30 minutes.

The HIIT group’s cardiorespiratory fitness levels (V̇O₂peak) improved twice as much as those of the MICT group: 3.5 mL of oxygen consumed in 1 minute per kg of body weight (mL/kg/min) compared with 1.8 mL/kg/min.

Of note, changes in V̇O₂peak from baseline remained above the clinically important threshold of 1.0 mL/kg/min at 8-week follow-up in the HIIT group (1.71 mL/kg/min) but not in the MICT group (0.67 mL/kg/min).

Both groups increased their 6-minute walk test distances by 8.8 m at 12 weeks and by 18.5 m at 20 weeks. No between-group differences were found for cardiovascular risk or mobility outcomes, and no adverse events occurred in either group.

On average, the HIIT group spent 36% of total training time exercising at intensities > 80% HRR throughout the intervention, while the MICT group spent 42% of time at intensities of 40%-59% HRR.

The study was limited by a small sample size of high-functioning individuals who sustained a mild stroke. Enrollment was halted for 2 years due to the COVID-19 lockdowns, limiting the study’s statistical power.

Nevertheless, the authors concluded, “Given that a lack of time is a significant barrier to the implementation of aerobic exercise in stroke clinical practice, our findings suggest that short-interval HIIT may be an effective alternative to traditional MICT for improving V̇O₂peak after stroke, with potential clinically meaningful benefits sustained in the short-term.”

“Our findings show that a short HIIT protocol is possible in people with stroke, which is exciting to see,” said Tang. “But there are different factors that clinicians should consider before recommending this training for their patients, such as their health status and their physical status. Stroke rehabilitation specialists, including stroke physical therapists, can advise on how to proceed to ensure the safety and effectiveness of HIIT.”

Selected Patients May Benefit

“Broad implementation of this intervention may be premature without further research,” Ryan Glatt, CPT, senior brain health coach and director of the FitBrain Program at Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica, California, told Medscape Medical News. “The study focused on relatively high-functioning stroke survivors, which raises questions about the applicability of the results to those with more severe impairments.” Glatt did not participate in the research.

“Additional studies are needed to confirm whether these findings are applicable to more diverse and severely affected populations and to assess the long-term sustainability of the benefits observed,” he said. “Also, the lack of significant improvements in other critical outcomes, such as mobility, suggests limitations in the broader application of HIIT for stroke rehabilitation.”

“While HIIT shows potential, it should be approached with caution,” Glatt continued. “It may benefit select patients, but replacing traditional exercise protocols with HIIT should not be done in all cases. More robust evidence and careful consideration of individual patient needs are essential.”

This study was funded by an operating grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Tang reported grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Physiotherapy Foundation of Canada, and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Glatt declared no relevant financial relationships.

Marilynn Larkin, MA, is an award-winning medical writer and editor whose work has appeared in numerous publications, including Medscape Medical News and its sister publication MDedge, The Lancet (where she was a contributing editor), and Reuters Health.

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Fitness

Most Preschoolers Aren’t Getting Enough Daily Exercise, Study Finds

Published

2 hours ago

November 26, 2025

Press Room

Most Preschoolers Aren’t Getting Enough Daily Exercise, Study Finds

Key Takeaways

Fewer than 1 in 4 preschoolers met daily movement goals in a UK study
Kids moved more at daycare, but not enough overall
Experts suggest that early childhood activity shapes long-term health

TUESDAY, Nov. 25, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Most kiddos ages 2 to 4 aren’t moving nearly enough each day, even when they attend preschool, a new UK study finds.

Researchers tracked the activity levels of 419 preschoolers in England and Scotland using special activity belts called accelerometers. These devices recorded how much children moved during school days and days spent at home.

Fewer than 1 in 4 children, about 23%, reached the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendation of 180 minutes of daily physical activity. Even fewer, only 2.4%, met the goal of at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per day.

Children were more active on days they attended daycare and preschool settings, moving about 15 minutes more per day compared to days spent outside of care.

But most children were still not active enough overall, either at school or at home.

Boys were more likely to meet activity targets than girls, with 8% more boys hitting the guidelines. Older preschoolers also tended to be more active than younger ones.

Outside of daycare or preschool settings, children from less deprived backgrounds were more active than children from more deprived families.

But when kids were in early care and school settings, those differences mostly disappeared, showing these settings can help reduce gaps in physical activity.

“These findings highlight a critical gap in physical activity among preschoolers,” Kim Hannam, a research fellow at the University of Bristol in England and senior author of the study, said in a news release.

“While early years settings provide a more active environment, most children are still not achieving the movement levels needed for healthy growth and development,” she added.

“Our study highlights the need for coordinated strategies between policymakers, educators and families to support early childhood physical activity.”

University of Bristol professor Ruth Kipping, warned that low activity in early childhood may affect long-term health.

“Low levels of physical activity in early childhood can impact on children’s healthy development and increase the risk of a range of chronic conditions in later life,” she said.

“Early years settings play an important role in promoting physical activity and reducing inequalities, especially as government-funded childcare expands. However, the low proportion of children meeting activity guidelines highlights the need for continued investment and research to support healthy development in the early years,” she added.

The study was led by the University of Bristol, working with researchers from the University of Birmingham, University of Glasgow and Cardiff University, and was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

It was published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health on Nov. 24.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on child activity.

SOURCE: University of Bristol, news release, Nov. 21, 2025

What This Means For You

If you have a young child, finding fun ways to keep them moving, even in short bursts, can help support their health in the long run.

Fitness

Is this crazy, solid marble exercise bike Black Friday’s wildest fitness deal? Probably… so here’s what you should actually buy instead

Published

20 hours ago

November 25, 2025

Press Room

Is this crazy, solid marble exercise bike Black Friday’s wildest fitness deal? Probably… so here’s what you should actually buy instead

Picture an exercise bike in your head for me real quick… got an image in your head? Good. Now chuck that image away and instead picture an enormous, 85 kilogram disc of polished marble, with horns, and miraculously a saddle and pedals. Now we’ve reached the very design-forward Ciclotte Exercise Bike, which by some miracle, is discounted down from a heady £14,000 to… uh, a still-unaffordable £10,500.

I’ll be honest with you, despite a saving of £3.5k this isn’t a deal that’s going to sneak into our Black Friday Bike Deals hub, or even our list of the best exercise bikes, but it has got me thinking if you did have 10 grand to drop this Black Friday, where you should splash your cash and still get an aesthetic indoor training setup that doesn’t fall short when actually training.

First up, let’s start with the trainer. Looking at our list of the best smart trainers, all of which represent quality options for getting a workout in, the Elite Justo 2 is probably the most aesthetically pleasing option, as well as being our ‘best overall’ for its balance of features and price. It’s also available at Halfords currently for £849, which isn’t listed as a sale, but it is cheaper than I’ve ever seen it before.

USA: Quick Black Friday Deals

UK: Quick Black Friday Deals

What you should buy instead

Obviously you need something to sit on the Justo, and in order to stick to the theme, let’s go for a 1st gen Specialized Aethos Comp. The white paint is minimalist and marbled, and to my mind, it’s a much more attractive object than ‘Big Rock Circle’. What’s more, you can use it outside, and it’s at a whopping 40% off.

Actually, regardless of the silly nature of this article, this Aethos deal is truly sensational and well worth a piece on its own.

Finally, I tried to find a vibey indoor mat for everything to go on, but they’re either black (yawn) or hideous. The best I could manage was a marble yoga mat to keep things consistent, but you might have to freestyle this one.

Fitness

Kids’ fitness classes teach much more than exercise

Published

2 days ago

November 24, 2025

Press Room

Kids’ fitness classes teach much more than exercise

On Monday and Wednesday afternoons, boys and girls trickle into a bare-bones gym that sits between Old 41 and Route 41 in Bonita Springs.They’re dressed in exercise clothes, and are ready to get started on their warmups.

34 kids are enrolled in the program, known as Wilson’s Fit Futures. It’sfitness classes for kids, ages 11 through 17. They’re all fully funded through the end of 2026, thanks to fundraising and donations.

Jacob Guzman of Naples is 16 years old and homeschooled. He says his favorite part of the classes is leg day, which helps his basketball game.

“Because I’m a basketballplayer, sothat would help a lotforthe jumping, the vertical jumps, and it has improved over since I’ve been here,” said Guzman.

Jacob’s mother, Angielly Betancourt Guzman, says her whole family is learning more about nutrition because of the education Jacob brings home from class.

“He’s like, my coach told me I should be eating such and such,and the protein. So we are all learning in our house,”she said.

Jacob Guzman (l.), 16, and his mother, Angielly Betancourt Guzman, at Ionic Fitness, where Jacob takes classes at Wilson’s Fit Futures.

The program is the brainchild of Donnie Keller, owner of Ionic Fitness, where the classes take place.He made the program free to make it accessible to all families.

“I wanted to give back to people who didn’t have the money for $200 a month for the kids. I started lifting weights at 12 years old, and obviously it changed my life. I’m a gym owner. The goal was to not create other gym owners, but create kids that learn to work out the right way, and hopefully learn to love it and continue to do it forever,” said Keller.

The program teaches much more than working out, though.

Keller remembers meeting several of the students for the first time.

“They all shook my handand they gave me a very weak handshake, didn’t look me in the eyes. I was like, when you shake somebody’s hand for the first time, look them in the eyes. Shake my hand, and don’t squeeze it like you’retrying to break my hand, but give me a firm handshake. Like you’reconfident with who you are,” he said.

Betancourt Guzman appreciates the influence of Keller and the other coaches on her son.
“It’s like he has found a bunch of uncles and family, and he enjoys the fact that he’s learning about weight training, nutrition, plus socializing as well.This program has kind of shaped him—it’s been shaping him—into more of, I will say, a dedicated person. He watches more how he’s replying, or how he’s talking, because he’sexcited about coming to the program.”

Keller named the program for Doug Wilson, a personal training client of his who died in his 60s after a lifetime of poor health habits. He had told Keller he wished he’d learned to take better care of himself earlier. It inspired Keller to offer Wilson’s Fit Futures to the young people of Southwest Florida.

Keller said:“While they’re exercising, they’re going to get stronger, faster, healthier. That’sgoing to happen. But I want them to enjoy it, so they continue to do it forever.”

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