Introduction: People after stroke have reduced physical fitness and often autonomic nervous system dysfunction. Circular exercise is a form of group exercise organised in individual training stations and is the recommended form of exercise in all periods after stroke. Purpose: To determine the heart rate response between different circular exercise training stations and the impact of exercise on improving heart rate and the perceived exertion at rest, during exercise and during six-minute rest after the main part of the exercise. The purpose was also to identify the effects of exercise on improving mobility in people in the chronic post-stroke period. Methods: The study involved eight subjects in the chronic post-stroke period. Before and after exercise and ten weeks after exercise we carried out an assessment that included measuring subjects’ blood pressure, heart rate and a number of tests: activities-specific balance confidence scale, functional gait assessment, ten meter walk test, twelve-step ascend and descend test, five times sit-to-stand, six-minute walk test, two-minute step test. The goal of circular exercise was to improve walking, dynamic balance and aerobic performance. The workout was carried out three times a week for four weeks and consisted of eleven exercises. During exercise, we recorded heart rate with a heart rate monitor (H10, Polar, Finland), and perceived exertion by using the Borg rating of perceived exertion scale. Results: The subjects achieved lower average percentage of maximum heart rate in the coordination and balance exercises than in the aerobic exercises. Circular exercise resulted in a marked decrease in exertion during six-minute rest after the end of the main part of the training unit. After exercise, there was a significant improvement in the ability to stand up and sit down, walking balance, walking distance, and the performance of a two-minute step test. We also identified the long-term effects of circular exercise. After ten weeks, the improvement in the ability to stand up and sit down, the balance while walking, walking distance and the performance of a two-minute step test was maintained, while the comfortable walking speed improved. Conclusion: There are differences in heart rate response between different exercise stations. A four-week, moderate-intensity circular exercise programme with an exercise frequency of three times per week and the duration of the individual examination of 51-68 minutes each resulted in an improvement in mobility during the chronic stroke period, while exercise did not resulted in the improvement of heart rate. It is a safe form of exercise that also has long-term effects.
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