Sofia Kangedal

About Sofia Kangedal

Sofia Kangedal is a PhD student at the School of Health Sciences at Örebro University since March 2024 and conducts research in the field of Post-stroke fatigue. Sofia is a licensed physiotherapist and works clinically at Kumla health center.

Research

The overall aim of the thesis is to investigate whether structured physical exercise in groups can reduce post-stroke fatigue and how participants experience participation in the training. This will be investigated through a systematic literature review, randomized controlled feasibility study and intervention study and a qualitative follow-up through interviews.

Post-stroke fatigue (PSF) occurs in almost half of all people who suffer a stroke. Unlike the motor impairments that can occur after stroke, PSF is not visible, which can make the condition difficult for those around you to understand and thus negatively affect relationships with family and friends. PSF can also cause reduced activity levels, which can lead to difficulties in participating in physical and social activities as well as poorer quality of life. PSF is treated both medically and non-medically. At present, cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness and acupuncture are mainly used as non-medical treatments as PSF is often associated with depressive symptoms. Physical activity and exercise have good effects on recovery after stroke. Training in a group gives the participant structure and the opportunity for social interactions, which in itself can have positive effects on the quality of life. This makes it interesting to investigate the effects of structured group training for people with PSF, which is currently not so well investigated.