Task-Oriented Circuit Training Analysis

DISCUSSION
Task-oriented circuit training incorporates workstations which repetitively stimulates physical activities performed in activities of daily living with the purpose of promoting motor learning and task performance (Sofia et al., 2014). This study examined the effectiveness of a task-oriented circuit class training on improving physical fitness of stroke survivors. The major finding of this study was that, task-oriented circuit class training improved physical fitness of stroke survivors in the early stages of rehabilitation after stroke. The outcome measures assessed significantly improved at the end of the training period in the circuit class training group as compared to the control group.
Cardiovascular fitness was assessed with
This result is in agreement with findings of studies that investigated the efficacy of task-oriented circuit class training on walking or gait speed (van de Port et al., 2012; English and Hillier, 2010; Mudge et al., 2009; English et al., 2007; Salbach et al., 2004; Dean et al., 2000). The increase in walking speed by the task-oriented circuit training may be due to the improved cardiovascular fitness and walking capacity. Moreover, the design of the circuit favoured walking speed. As an important skill- or performance-related component of physical fitness, walking speed has been demonstrated to be a valid and responsive measure of improvement in walking ability in individuals after stroke (Kollen et al., 2006; Salbach et al., 2001). However, Pohl et al. (2002) asserted that walking speed must be specifically and aggressively trained in stroke survivors before it
In agreement with other stroke rehabilitation studies employing task-oriented training, this study shows that improvements in fitness levels and functional capacity of participants were due to the task-related practices of the circuit training (Saunders et al., 2013; Van de Port et al., 2012; English and Hillier, 2010; Saunders et al., 2009; Salbach et al., 2004; Yocheved et al., 2001; Dean et al., 2000). Given that, both study groups (CCTG and NCCTG) received the same conventional therapy, the observed improvement in physical fitness of patients in the CCTG was mainly due to the task-oriented circuit class training. The findings of this study further confirm that task-oriented circuit class training is safe and feasible soon after stroke (Blennerhassett and Dite, 2004) and could be used to concurrently improve physical fitness and physical functional performances. Thus, improving fitness in stroke survivors can reduce stroke-related disability if training is task-oriented. The observed positive effects of the task-oriented circuit training on physical fitness used in this study could be explained on the basis of components of the circuits, that is, the effects were specific to the training (English and Hillier, 2010; Dean et al., 2000). Thus, benefits reflect the principle of the specificity of training response (Saunders