Taking regular brisk walks outdoors can help people recovering from a stroke to improve their physical fitness, enjoy a better quality of life, and increase their mobility. The walking group in this study reported a 16.7% improvement in health-related quality of life, and walked 17.6% further in a six-minute physical endurance test. They also had a 1.5% lower resting heart rate at the end of the study than they did at the beginning, while the non-walking groups resting heart rate went up 6.7%. The American Heart Association recommends stroke survivors do aerobic exercise for 20-60 minutes, 3-7 days a week, depending on fitness level.
Stroke, March 2013