Exploring the Gap Between Physical Capacity and Real-Life Engagement in Post-Stroke Community Mobility: A Cross-Sectional Study

Post-stroke rehabilitation often focuses on restoring walking capacity, however the extent to which they reengage in preferred activities, how often, and how satisfied they are remains underexplored. This study aimed to describe preferences, participation frequency, perceived difficulty, and satisfaction with community mobility in ambulatory stroke survivors. We conducted a cross-sectional study among 169 ambulatory individuals with stroke using a structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire assessing preferred destinations, current participation, and satisfaction with engagement. Two-thirds (67%) of the patients indicated that they preferred to visit only two or three specific community locations. Despite physical capacity, patients reported nonparticipation (29–69%), reduced frequency (32–72%), and dissatisfaction (35–79%) across various preferred activities. The study highlights the need to evaluate community mobility from the patient’s perspective, emphasizing that physical capacity alone is insufficient without considering frequency of participation, perceived difficulty, satisfaction and the contextual meaning attached to mobility activities.