Investigation of the current status of the FIT (full-time integrated treatment) program for stroke patients: Analysis of 2005

Purpose: We examined the perception held in clinical practice, that the greater the number of exercise units the better the outcome in a retrospective survey which investigated the relationship between Activities of Daily Living (ADL) outcome and the number of exercise units performed in exercise limited to 2 hours, with the objective of obtaining basic data for studies of the effects of exercise limits of 3 hours. Subjects: The subjects were 362 patients who were admitted and discharged from the Recovery Stage Rehabilitation Ward of the Fujita Health University Nanakuri Sanatorium in 2005. [Method] We examined the total number of occupational and physical therapy exercise units during the hospital stay and calculated the daily average, analyzed the discharge to home rate and investigated their correlation with the Motor Items Score of the Functional Independence Measure (FIM-M) and the return to home rate. Results: Total exercise units was negatively correlated with FIM-M at admission and discharge from the ward, and gain in FIM-M showed a positive correlation. The group which performed on average 5-6 units per day did not show better results compared to those performing less, but they had a higher return to home rate. Conclusion: Performing the upper limit of exercise (6 units) did not always lead to a high ADL outcome. When investigating the relationship between exercise dose and outcome, the effects of restrictions of exercise dose and lifestyle when not at exercise should also be considered.