2.1. Participations
pneumonia, angina, congenital deformities, stroke, fractures
STROKE, HEART FAILURE, PNEUMONIA, ORTHOPEDIC DISORDERS
This study was conducted based on a randomized pre–post experimental design. A therapist with over 3 years of experience performed measurements and analyses using a single-blind method, and the sample size was calculated using statistical power analysis software G*power Version 3.1.9.7 [This study was conducted from June to September 2022. The study was conducted on 30 inpatients at Y Hospital in Gangwon Province, South Korea, who had a history of COVID-19 and were diagnosed with stroke at least 6 months previously.The inclusion criteria were: (1) among patients hospitalized for stroke, it had been more than 6 months since they experienced COVID-19; (2) those who did not show symptoms of pneumonia; (3) forced vital capacity (FVC) < 80% and not under special treatment; (4) no heart failure, angina, orthopedic disorders, or other similar conditions; (5) Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE-K) score ≥ 24; (6) ability to perform the exercise program without problems; (7) ambulation duration ≥ 6 min with or without assistive devices; and (8) understanding the purpose of this study and giving consent to participate.The exclusion criteria were: (1) difficulty maintaining a sitting or standing position; (2) congenital deformities of the rib cage; (3) inability to perform respiratory function tests due to rib fractures or pulmonary, endocrinal, and orthopedic conditions; and (4) a history of surgery in the chest or abdomen.All participants received sufficient explanation regarding the purpose and procedures of the study, including precautions, and signed an informed consent form in their own handwriting. The study was conducted after obtaining approval from the institutional review board (IRB no. GU-202207-HRa-06-03-P) (clinical trial registration No. KCT0007806).