Stroke Severity Reduced in Those Who Walk Regularly

Light to moderate physical activity, such as walking and swimming, could reduce the severity of strokes, according to a study published in Neurology . The study of nearly 1,000 individuals who had had a stroke found that those who had been doing four hours per week of light activity or two to three hours per week of moderate activity had less severe strokes than those who had not been exercising, reports Medical News Today . The researchers defined light activity as walking at a normal pace and moderate activity as brisk walking, swimming, or running. The analysis revealed that those whose physical activity levels were light to moderate in the period leading up to their stroke had double the chance of having a mild stroke compared with those who were inactive. Of the 59 people whose physical activity levels in the period before their stroke were moderate, 89 percent had a mild stroke. Of the 384 people whose physical activity level was light, 85 percent had a mild stroke. Of the 481 who were inactive, 73 percent had a mild stroke.