Optimizing stroke recovery in women through accessible modalities of health service delivery: A sex-and gender-based analysis of the TeleRehabilitation with Aims to Improve Lower Extremity Recovery (TRAIL) Clinical Trial

People with stroke often report the need for ongoing therapy after leaving the hospital, especially for rehabilitation to further improve leg function, walking and balance. This is particularly important when we consider that stroke affects men and women differently. Virtual rehabilitation programs may enable more women to benefit from stroke rehabilitation by reducing the need for in-person care and removing barriers such as the need for travel. The TeleRehabilitation with Aims to Improve Lower extremity recovery post-stroke (TRAIL) program is a 4-week virtual exercise program focused on improving recovery of leg function after stroke. We are conducting a clinical trial of TRAIL to examine how the program impacts walking, balance, quality of life in people with stroke with different sexes and genders. We are also interested in learning whether men and women with stroke differ in how they participate in TRAIL. Participants will be randomly assigned (50/50 chance) to the TRAIL program or a 4-week education program. We will measure walking, balance, quality of life before and after to see how men and women may differ in their response to the programs. This research will allow us to better understand how virtual rehabilitation programs can help women recover after stroke.