Introduction:

Post-stroke subjects experience a decrease in muscle strength and changes in the autonomic nervous system. Muscle strength training, when applied with progressive load, can be effective, since it can increase both muscle size and strength, as well as functional capacity. It can also cause changes in cardiac function by modifying heart rate and blood pressure.

The objective of this study was to report a muscle strength training program and its effect on the cardiac function in a patient with post-stroke spastic hemiparesis.

Case presentation:

A 55-year-old male patient with a stroke in the right cerebral hemisphere. After defining the maximum load for shoulder, elbow, hip, and knee flexor and extensor muscles on both sides, a load progression from 40% to 65% was used to perform an 8-week-training program. Heart rate and heart rate variability were also measured.

Conclusion:

Muscle strength training provided the patient with an increase in muscle strength and an improvement in heart rate and blood pressure variability, in addition to maintaining functionality, without increasing spasticity.

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