Dr Natalie Fini awarded grant to help address stroke recovery care gap

Dr Natalie Fini from the Department of Physiotherapy has been awarded a Stroke Foundation grant to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of different levels of physical activity to assist stroke survivors with improving their cardiovascular health.

Titled Personalised Physical Activity Programs for Stroke Survivors, the research will evaluate tailored physical activity programs co-designed by clinicians, carers and stroke survivors. The co-design approach is anticipated to improve longer-term engagement with the program by stroke survivors.

Through understanding the safe intensity and duration of exercise for stroke survivors and determining whether the programs are effective at improving cardiovascular health, it is hoped the research can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and future strokes.

“People who have had a stroke are at greater risk of future health problems than the general population, and sustaining regular physical activity can be challenging due to stroke-related weakness, poor balance and memory issues,” Dr Fini explains.

“We hope that this research will address the care gap that stroke survivors report experiencing after hospital discharge, through providing them with the resources and support needed during their recovery to manage their physical health over the longer term.”

Dr Fini received the $69,980 grant as part of the Stroke Foundation 2022 Research Grant Program, which supports early and mid-career researchers to address evidence and implementation gaps in stroke prevention, treatment and recovery.