IMproving Physical ACtivity With Treadmill Training Following Stroke: The Stroke-IMPACT Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$736,065.00
Summary
Stroke is a leading cause of disability amongst Australians. After stroke, activity levels are low, with few people able to exercise at an intensity which will reduce the risk of future cardiovascular events. This project examines the effectiveness of combining a high intensity treadmill training program with a self management approach to improve activity levels, mobility, cardiovascular risk profile in stroke survivors, increasing their independence and reducing the burden of care.
There’s recent evidence that children get leaner and fitter during the school term, but become fatter and less fit over the summer holidays. This may be because of differences in activity and diet: on holidays, children may eat more, be less active and have more screen time. We propose to track the time use, diet, fitness and fatness of 9-11 year old children across three school years. If the pattern is confirmed, we should focus more on the home environment, or perhaps encourage summer camps.
A Scalable Intervention For Increasing Vigorous Physical Activity Among Older Adolescents: The ‘ Burn To Learn ’ Cluster RCT
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$636,912.00
Summary
Physical inactivity has been described as a global pandemic and only 15% of Australian adolescents are sufficiently active. The pressure to perform in major school assessments drives many older adolescents to sacrifice physical activity to maximise academic performance. Our team has designed a time-efficient solution to increase physical activity in senior high school students using high intensity interval training which will be evaluated using a cluster randomised controlled trial.
There is increasing evidence that regular physical activity contributes considerably to better physical fitness and good health of individuals and nations. Unfortunately, many individuals in Australia are not regularly active. A sedentary lifestyle is associated with a higher risk of coronary heart disease, obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis and some cancers. Physical activity guidelines encourage participation in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, ....There is increasing evidence that regular physical activity contributes considerably to better physical fitness and good health of individuals and nations. Unfortunately, many individuals in Australia are not regularly active. A sedentary lifestyle is associated with a higher risk of coronary heart disease, obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis and some cancers. Physical activity guidelines encourage participation in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week. Walking is one of the most common forms of physical activity undertaken by adults, however there is a relatively poor understanding of the physiological demands of this task. A better understanding of walking for people of different age, gender, size and shape would provide for improvements in the categorisation of intensity of physical activity for use in population measures of physical activity and exercise prescription for individuals who are obese. The aim of the proposed study is to assess the relationship between energy cost of walking and body composition of adults. The main purpose is to consider how people of different age, gender, size and shape manage self-paced walking relative to maximal capacity. The energy cost of walking is an important determinant of a person's functional capacity, physical fitness and health status. The main outcomes of the study: An increased knowledge and understanding of the energy expenditure of self-paced walking relative to maximal aerobic power; More reliable assessment of physical activity status using a variety of commonly employed indirect assessment techniques; A comprehensive understanding of the inter-individual differences in walking characteristics based on age, gender or body fatness; A better understanding of the energy cost of walking and the subsequent promotion of this form of physical activity has potential to impact on the health of Australians, particularly those who are sedentary and overweight or obese.Read moreRead less
Physical Activity And Mental Health: Developing Effective Interventions For Disadvantaged Youth
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$336,248.00
Summary
Adolescent physical inactivity is increasing in developing countries and contributes to poor physical and mental health. Latin American countries have developed successful methods to promote physical activity. The aim of this research is to assess if the Latin American approach is effective at improving the physical and mental health of Ugandans and Indigenous Australians. The results will indicate if these methods for promoting physical activity should be tried in other disadvantaged settings.
I am a physiotherapist with special expertise in ergonomics. My research aims to improve health outcomes through an understanding the physical impact of new technology use.
A RCT Of Power Training And Treadmill Training To Improve Walking Ability In Sub-acute Stroke Patients.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$403,041.00
Summary
Stroke causes weakness, incoordination, and reduced aerobic fitness, all of which impact significantly on walking ability and other related functions, such as balance. The current management of stroke patients is inadequate in improving patients' walking ability to a level that promotes independence in the community, as it does not address the impairments at the physiological level necessary to implement significant change. A relatively new approach to walking following stroke is the use of trea ....Stroke causes weakness, incoordination, and reduced aerobic fitness, all of which impact significantly on walking ability and other related functions, such as balance. The current management of stroke patients is inadequate in improving patients' walking ability to a level that promotes independence in the community, as it does not address the impairments at the physiological level necessary to implement significant change. A relatively new approach to walking following stroke is the use of treadmill walking. However, this form of training does not address the weakness following stroke. Therefore we propose to demonstrate the efficacy of a relatively new modality 'treadmill training with power training', at higher intensity over a greater number of sessions than would be received currently with 'usual care' or treadmill training only. To ensure that persons continue to maintain the level of improvement from an intensive exercise program, we will also implement a behavioural change for long-term maintenance of exercise behaviour in a less supervised environment. A randomized, single-blinded, control trial will be used. Subjects will be randomly allocated to 'treadmill training + power training', 'treadmill training', or usual care (i.e. control). Subjects in the two training groups will also receive 'usual care'. Subjects in the treadmill and treadmill + power training groups will attend training sessions for 10 weeks, with 3 sessions per week. Subjects will then be provided with a home exercise package to continue with their exercises. The findings from this study are critical in identifying whether, by addressing the 3 major impairments following stroke at doses which are known to produce physiological change in other frail populations, the stroke patient can achieve independence in walking and walk sufficient distances, both of which are important to the stroke patient.Read moreRead less
Feasibility, Safety, Adherence, And Efficacy For High Intensity Interval Training In A Hospital-Initiated Rehabilitation Program For Heart Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$75,779.00
Summary
This project aims to investigate if high intensity interval training can be successfully integrated into a hospital-based cardiac rehabilitation program as a practical and safe alternative to the usual care exercise protocol (moderate intensity continuous training). We expect high intensity interval training will be a safe and practical option for appropriate patients, and will offer greater improvements in fitness, exercise adherence, cardiovascular risk factors, and intra-abdominal fat.