Exercise and Physical Fitness Interventions in Stroke Rehabilitation: A Bibliometric and Thematic Review of Research Trends and Outcomes
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70672/egcrkh17Keywords:
stroke, cerebrovascular accident, physical fitness, physical enduranceAbstract
Stroke is a leading cause of death and long-term disability worldwide, placing major physical, psychological, and socioeconomic burdens on patients, families, and healthcare systems. In this bibliometric review with thematic analysis, we examined the trends in research on exercise and physical fitness interventions for stroke rehabilitation. A literature search was conducted in the Web of Science Core Collection on 22 December 2025, including English-language articles and review articles published between 2015 and 2025. Title-based search terms combined stroke-related and physical fitness–related concepts. Publication output and citation patterns were analysed, and keyword co-occurrence analysis was performed to identify dominant research themes. The findings revealed a steady increase in publication volume over the past decade, with accelerated growth after 2020, indicating rising scholarly interest in exercise-based stroke rehabilitation. In contrast, citation counts declined in recent years, likely reflecting citation lag associated with newly published studies. Three major thematic clusters were identified: functional performance and mobility-oriented rehabilitation, physical activity and health-related quality of life, and cardiorespiratory fitness with an emphasis on exercise prescription and clinical translation. These findings indicate a shift from primarily function-focused research toward more comprehensive, health-oriented, and clinically translational approaches. While functional mobility remains a central research priority, increasing attention to quality of life and cardiorespiratory fitness reflects a broader conceptualisation of post-stroke recovery. This review highlights the need for standardised outcome measures, clearer exercise prescription parameters, and stronger integration of evidence into clinical practice to advance exercise-based stroke rehabilitation.
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