ArticleBMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation2025
Effectiveness of different exercise interventions on balance and cognitive functions in stroke patients: A network meta-analysis.
Article in BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- High-intensity interval training after stroke: a three-level random-effects meta-analysis with cluster-robust inference and exploratory dose-parameter signals.Frontiers in neurologyPooled it
- Comparative Efficacy of Exercise Modalities for Motor Function Recovery After Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Systematic Review and Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Balance Rehabilitation in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury: A Scoping Review.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2026Article
- High-Intensity Interval Training on Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Cognitive Function, and Functional Capacity in Adults with Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Review
- High-intensity interval training after stroke: evidence & practice.Physical activity and nutrition · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundExercise interventions are proven to improve functional outcomes in stroke patients, yet the optimal and safest exercise modalities remain uncertain. This network meta-analysis (NMA) aims to systematically compare the effects of various exercise interventions on balance and cognitive functions, providing robust evidence to guide clinical decision-making.
methodsWeb of Science, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched up to September 2024. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating exercise interventions for balance and cognitive improvements in stroke patients were included. Quality assessment and data extraction were performed, followed by Bayesian NMA using Stata 15.0 and R 4.41.
resultsThis study ultimately included 40 RCTs with 2,302 patients. Six commonly employed exercise interventions in clinical treatment were covered, including aerobic exercise (AE), core stability exercise (CSE), physical/mental exercise (PME), resistance training (RT), high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and mixed-component exercise (Mixed). According to the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA), Mixed was the most effective intervention for improving Berg balance scale scores (SUCRA = 82.89%). AE was the most effective intervention for improving patients' performance on the timed up and go test (SUCRA = 88.46%). PME exhibited superior effectiveness in improving Montreal cognitive assessment scores (SUCRA = 86.43%).
conclusionsMixed and AE noticeably improves balance function in stroke patients, while PME and AE notably enhance cognitive function. The efficacy of other forms of exercise requires further validation. For patients whose primary objective is to improve balance, we recommend prioritizing Mixed. In cases of markedly impaired physical function, a single type of exercise should be selected. For patients aiming to enhance cognitive function, we recommend the selection of PME as the preferred option.
trial registrationRegistration date: 23 September 2024. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42024593741.
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