A focused exercise regimen improves clinical measures of balance in patients with peripheral neuropathy. Task-oriented progressive resistance strength training improves muscle strength and functional performance in individuals with stroke. High-intensity resistance training improves muscle strength, self-reported function, and disability in long-term stroke survivors.
To determine the effect of a specific exercise regimen on clinical measures of postural stability and confidence in a population with peripheral neuropathy (PN).
                Prospective, controlled, single blind study.
                Outpatient clinic of a university hospital.
                Twenty subjects with diabetes mellitus and electrodiagnostically confirmed PN.
                Ten subjects underwent a 3-week intervention exercise regimen designed to increase rapidly available distal strength and balance. The other 10 subjects performed a control exercise regimen.
                Unipedal stance time, functional reach, tandem stance time, and score on the activities-specific balance and confidence (ABC) scale.
                The intervention subjects, but not the control subjects, showed significant improvement in all 3 clinical measures of balance and nonsignificant improvement on the ABC scale.
                A brief, specific exercise regimen improved clinical measures of balance in patients with diabetic PN. Further studies are needed to determine if this result translates into a lower fall frequency in this high-risk population. To examine the effectiveness of task-oriented progressive resistance strength training on lower extremity strength and functional performance in chronic stroke subjects.
                Single-blind, randomized controlled trial.
                Medical centre and district hospital.
                Forty-eight subjects at least one year post stroke.
                Participants randomly allocated to two groups, control (n-/24) and experimental (n-/24). Subjects in the control group did not receive any rehabilitation training. Subjects in the experimental group were put on a four-week task-oriented progressive resistance strength training.
                Lower extremity muscle strength, gait velocity, cadence, stride length, six-minute walk test, step test, and timed up and go test.
                Muscle strength significantly improved in the experimental group for strong side muscle groups (ranged from 23.9% to 36.5%) and paretic side muscle groups (ranged from 10.1% to 77.9%). In the control group muscle strength changes ranged from 6.7% gain to 11.2% decline. The experimental group showed significant improvement in all selected measures of functional performance except for the step test. In the control group, the number of repetitions of the step test significantly decreased (-20.3%) with no change in other functional tests. There was a significant difference between groups for muscle strength and all functional measures. The strength gain was significantly associated with gain in the functional tests.
                The task-oriented progressive resistance strength training programme could improve lower extremity muscle strength in individuals with chronic stroke and could carry over into improvement in functional abilities. To evaluate the efficacy of supervised high-intensity progressive resistance training (PRT) on lower extremity strength, function, and disability in older, long-term stroke survivors.
                Forty-two volunteers aged 50 years and above, 6 months to 6 years after a single mild to moderate stroke, were randomized into either a control group of upper extremity stretching or a PRT group that received a 12-week supervised high-intensity resistance training program consisting of bilateral leg press (LP), unilateral paretic and nonparetic knee extension (KE), ankle dorsiflexion (DF), and plantarflexion (PF) exercises. Functional performance was assessed using the 6-minute walk, stair-climb time, repeated chair-rise time, and habitual and maximal gait velocities. Self-reported changes in function and disability were evaluated using the Late Life Function and Disability Instrument (LLFDI).
                Single-repetition maximum strength significantly improved in the PRT group for LP (16.2%), paretic KE (31.4%), and nonparetic KE (38.2%) with no change in the control group. Paretic ankle DF (66.7% versus -24.0%), paretic ankle PF (35.5% versus -20.3%), and nonparetic ankle PF (14.7% versus -13.8%) significantly improved in the PRT group compared with the control. The PRT group showed significant improvement in self-reported function and disability with no change in the control. There was no significant difference between groups for any performance-based measure of function.
                High-intensity PRT improves both paretic and nonparetic lower extremity strength after stroke, and results in reductions in functional limitations and disability.
There is inadequate evidence to evaluate the effect of exercise on functional ability in people with peripheral neuropathy. The results suggest that progressive resisted exercise may improve muscle strength in affected muscles.