Among the sequelae of stroke are paresis, paralysis, spasticity, sensory-perceptual dysfunction, dysphagia, decreased appetite and protein synthesis, and impaired oxidative metabolism. Collectively, these impairments negatively impact health-related outcomes such as cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and endurance, power, fatigue tolerance, motor control, static and dynamic balance, and body composition. These impairments are often accompanied by low tolerance to physical activity, increased fatigue perception, and higher levels of sedentary behaviours, which result in a reduced ability to carry out activities of daily living and an increased risk of recurrent stroke.
Given the importance of exercise testing for evaluating the functional capacities of stroke survivors and the effectiveness of stroke rehabilitation programs, optimizing procedures for improving the safety, reliability, and validity of the determination of cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and endurance, power, fatigue tolerance, motor control, and static and dynamic balance is clearly an important endeavor.

The gold standard measure of cardiorespiratory fitness is the maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O2max), determined via a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET). The CPET also provides over 40 other outcome variables for the assessment of the physiological and functional status of the pulmonary, cardiovascular, hematopoietic, skeletal muscle, and neuropsychological systems. Despite the potential utility of the CPET for assessing stroke survivors and the many physical and psychological issues associated with stroke that could affect the conduct, safety, and interpretation of the CPET, there has been a severe lack of empirical studies to inform evidence-based guidelines on this topic.

Regarding neuromuscular health, assessing muscular strength and endurance, power, fatigue tolerance, motor control, static and dynamic balance, and body composition is crucial to help inform exercise prescription and to quantify the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs. The assessment of body composition, including fat-free mass, body fat mass, and bone mineral density, is also important to determine if interventions are effective and help diagnose post-stroke complications such as sarcopenia, obesity, and osteopenia/osteoporosis.

Our Research Topic aims to highlight the most recent findings addressing the development, implementation, and interpretation of fitness assessments post-stroke.

We welcome the submissions of any type of manuscript supported by the journal (including Original Research, Review, Meta-analyses, etc.) addressing the following themes or related topics while referring to post-stroke recovery and rehabilitation:
- The feasibility, reliability, and safety of assessing cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle mass and strength, body composition, balance, and neuromotor control.
- Methodological criteria for confirming that a ‘true’ V̇O2max has been attained, including traditional and/or verification phase criteria.
- Relationships between values derived from gold-standard measurements and those predicted from indirect measurements in health-related fitness variables.
- Development of novel fitness assessment protocols.
- Reference values for fitness-related outcomes such as cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and endurance, balance, neuromotor control, and body composition.
- Physiological and clinical health markers obtained from physiological or psychological assessments for evaluating functional status and the effects of rehabilitation programs.

Dr. Ferreira is co-author in patents for the following software: Rehabilitation for people with amputation 2021, AUDIOMETER 2013, MYO 2008, DiagMTC 2008. The other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regard to the Research Topic subject.

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