High Intensity Interval Training POst-STroke (HIIT-POST): Perspectives of People Living With Stroke and Health Professionals.
Sarah K Ashcroft, Liam Johnson, Suzanne S Kuys and 1 others
PMID 39932216WHAT IT FOUND
People with stroke and clinicians view high-intensity interval training as beneficial but intimidating.
The term 'high intensity' limits uptake. Focus education on personalization and relative effort rather than absolute speed. Safety screening and confidence in prescribing remain key barriers to routine use.
Key findings
01The term 'high intensity' is perceived as intimidating and off-putting, particularly for older adults or those apprehensive about exercise, potentially limiting participation.
02Health professionals lack confidence in prescribing HIIT due to uncertainty about when to start it and how to personalize it for individual impairments and goals.
03Both groups identify education on safety, personalization, and the relative nature of effort as the primary facilitator for adopting HIIT, rather than changing the exercise itself.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The sample was recruited via convenience sampling online, likely selecting for individuals already interested in or capable of exercise, which may bias findings toward positive perceptions. Most health professionals were physiotherapists or exercise physiologists; perspectives from other disciplines (e.g., nurses, physicians) were underrepresented. The definition of HIIT used in the questionnaire was broad and may not have aligned with conventional clinical definitions, potentially affecting how participants interpreted the intervention. The study reports perceptions and themes, not clinical outcomes or efficacy. It cannot confirm whether HIIT is safe or effective for specific patient profiles, only how they are perceived.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest and received no financial support for this research.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the high interest in HIIT as evidence of its efficacy or safety for your specific patients. This study reports perceptions from a self-selected group of exercisers and therapists. The finding that 'high intensity' is off-putting is a communication insight, not a clinical guideline; you must still verify individual medical stability and capacity before prescribing.