Table 1.

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria Ischemic stroke greater than or equal to 6 months prior in men or women ages 40–85 years. Hemorrhagic stroke greater than or equal to 1 year prior in men or women ages 40–85 years. Residual hemiparetic gait deficits. Already completed all conventional inpatient and outpatient physical therapy. Adequate language and neurocognitive function to participate in exercise testing and training (specific screening instruments used).

Exclusion criteria Already performing aerobic exercise 3x/week. Increased alcohol consumption. Cardiac history of (a) unstable angina, (b) recent (less than 3 months) myocardial infarction or congestive heart failure (New York Heart Association category II-IV), (c) hemodynamically significant valvular dysfunction. Medical history: (a) recent hospitalization (less than 3 months) for severe medical disease, (b) PAOD with claudication, (c) orthopedic or chronic pain condition restricting exercise, (d) pulmonary or renal failure, (e) active cancer, (f) untreated poorly controlled hypertension measured on at least two occasions (>160/100) or diabetes mellitus (fasting glucose >180 mg/dL, HgA1C > 10%) unable to be controlled medically within 3 months, (g) anemia defined by hematocrit <30. Neurological history of (a) dementia with Mini-Mental State Score <23 (<17 if education level at or below 8th grade) and diagnostic confirmation by neurologist or psychiatrist; (b) severe receptive or global aphasia that confounds testing and training, operationally defined as unable to follow 2-point commands; (c) hemiparetic gait from a prior stroke preceding the index stroke defining eligibility; (d) nonstroke neuromuscular disorder restricting exercise (e.g., Parkinson’s syndrome); (e) untreated major depression.