EFFECTS OF AEROBIC EXERCISE ON CARDIORESPIRATORY FITNESS AND FUNCTIONAL CAPACITY IN CHRONIC STROKE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIALS

Abstract

This article aimed to assess the impact of aerobic exercise interventions on cardiorespiratory fitness, functional capacity, mobility, balance, and quality of life in individuals with chronic stroke. This is a systematic literature review carried out in the PubMed, Cochrane Central, and Virtual Health Library (BVS) databases. The analyzed studies suggest that aerobic exercise increases peak VO₂ and reduces resting heart rate, promoting improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness and functional capacity. Improvements were also observed in gait speed. However, the findings regarding balance and mobility were inconsistent, and only one study reported improvements in quality of life, indicating that evidence on quality of life is still limited. The use of aerobic exercise seems to represent a promising strategy for individuals with chronic stroke, but more high-quality randomized controlled clinical trials are needed to confirm the observed effects, especially on balance, mobility, and quality of life.