02488nas a2200337 4500000000100000008004100001653001000042653001100052653001100063653002200074653000900096653002200105653001600127653001400143653002300157653002300180653002100203653001900224653002000243100001700263700001500280700001900295700001500314700001800329700002200347245016200369300001100531490000700542520158700549022001402136 2009 d10aAdult10aFemale10aHumans10aFollow-Up Studies10aMale10aTreatment Outcome10aMiddle Aged10aSelf Care10aPatient Compliance10aProgram Evaluation10aExercise Therapy10aBrain Injuries10aFitness Centers1 aMoseley Anne1 aLeung Joan1 aHassett Leanne1 aTate Robyn1 aHarmer Alison1 aFairbairn Timothy00aEfficacy of a fitness centre-based exercise programme compared with a home-based exercise programme in traumatic brain injury: a randomized controlled trial. a247-550 v413 a

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of a supervised fitness centre-based exercise programme with an unsupervised home-based exercise programme on cardiorespiratory fitness and psychosocial functioning in people with traumatic brain injury.

DESIGN: Multi-centre, assessor-blinded, parallel group, randomized controlled trial.

PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-two participants with severe traumatic brain injuries, who could walk at a speed exceeding 1 m/sec, discharged from 3 brain injury units.

INTERVENTIONS: The fitness centre group completed a combined fitness and strength training exercise programme supervised by a personal trainer in a local fitness centre 3 times per week for 12 weeks. The home group completed a similar exercise programme unsupervised at home.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Cardiorespiratory fitness measured using the modified 20-m shuttle test.

RESULTS: Both groups improved in fitness: the maximal velocity achieved on the modified 20-m shuttle test increased with intervention and was maintained at follow-up. However, the difference between groups was not significant (mean between-group difference (95% confidence interval) 0 m/sec (-0.6 to 0.6) at the end of intervention). There were also no between-group differences in psychosocial functioning at the end of intervention or at follow-up.

CONCLUSION: Both interventions were equally effective at improving cardiorespiratory fitness in adults with traumatic brain injuries.

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