Effect of Enteral Nutrition Support Combined with Rehabilitation Exercise on Muscle Strength and Motor Ability of Patients with Post-stroke Sarcopenia

ZHENG Xiaozhen; OUYANG Jialin; LIU Qianhao; GAO Panpan; KOU Jianing; ZHANG Junling

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1004-437X.2026.15.010

Abstract：Objective To investigate the effects of enteral nutrition support combined with rehabilitation exercise on muscle strength and motor ability of patients with post-stroke sarcopenia.Methods A total of 104 patients with post-stroke sarcopenia admitted to the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from July 2021 to July 2024 were included and divided into group A(52 cases)and group B(52 cases)according to random number table method.Group A received enteral nutrition support combined with routine rehabilitation training,group B received enteral nutrition support combined with progressive aerobic resistance rehabilitation training.Muscle grip strength,appendicular skeletal muscle mass index(ASMI)and short physical performance battery(SPPB)scores were compared between the two groups before and after the intervention.Tinetti performance oriented mobility assessment(Tinetti-POMA)and time up and go test(TUGT)were used to evaluate the exercise ability of the patients.The mental state of the patients was evaluated by the self-rating anxiety scale(SAS)and self-rating depression scale(SDS),and the quality of life of the patients was evaluated by the short-form 36 health survey scale(SF-36).Results The scores of muscle grip strength,ASMI and SPPB in 2 groups were higher after intervention than before intervention,and those in group B were higher than those in group A(P＜0.05).After intervention,POMA score of group 2 were higher than before intervention,TUGT were lower than before intervention,POMA score of group B was higher than group A,TUGT was lower than group A(P＜0.05).SDS and SAS scores of the 2 groups after intervention were lower than those before intervention,and the scores of group B was lower than that of group A(P＜0.05).After intervention,the scores of social function,physical health,physical pain,physical role function,energy,emotional role function,mental health and general health of the 2 groups were higher than those before intervention,and the scores of group B were higher than those of group A(P＜0.05).Conclusion Compared with enteral nutrition support combined with routine rehabilitation training,enteral nutrition support combined with progressive aerobic resistance rehabilitation training can more effectively improve the muscle strength,motor function and mental state of stroke patients with sarcopenia,and improve the quality of life.