Stroke survivors have reduced ambulatory capacity which impairs their activities of daily living. Exercise training modalities can be used to improve ambulatory functions of stroke survivors. To investigate the effects of task-oriented circuit training in improving ambulatory functions of stroke survivors in the acute stage of stoke rehabilitation. Twenty (20) stroke survivors were randomized into circuit training group (CTG) and control group (CG), with 10 subjects in each group. The subjects in the CTG, in addition to conventional therapy, underwent 8 weeks of task-oriented circuit training; subjects in the CG received conventional physiotherapy treatment only. Assessments were done at weeks 4 and 8 with ten-metre walk test (10MWT), six-minute walk test (6MWT) and functional ambulatory category (FAC) as outcome measures. There were significant differences in the 10MWT, 6MWT and FAC between the CTG and the CG at week 8 (p < 0.05). There were significant differences in 10MWT and 6MWT within both CTG and CG at weeks 4 and 8 (p < 0.05). Mean differences in FAC within the CTG was significant (p < 0.011); but was not significant within the CG (p > 0.591) at weeks 4 and 8. Task-oriented circuit training improved ambulatory functions of stroke survivors in the acute stage.

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