What Is the Evidence for Physical Therapy Poststroke? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

What Is the Evidence for Physical Therapy Poststroke? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

February 2014 | Janne Marieke Veerbeek, Erwin van Wegen, Roland van Peppen, Philip Jan van der Wees, Erik Hendriks, Marc Rietberg, Gert Kwakkel
This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to update the evidence for physical therapy (PT) interventions in stroke rehabilitation. The study included 467 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 25,373 patients, with a median PEDro score of 6 (IQR 5–7). The outcomes were classified according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Strong evidence was found for significant positive effects of 13 interventions related to gait, 11 interventions related to arm-hand activities, 1 intervention for Activities of Daily Living (ADL), and 3 interventions for physical fitness. The effects were mostly restricted to the trained functions and activities. Intensive, high-repetition, task-oriented, and task-specific training were found to be beneficial across all phases poststroke. Subgroup analyses revealed significant differences in timing poststroke for 10 interventions. Neurological treatment approaches showed equal or unfavorable effects compared to other training interventions. The main limitations included the lack of individual patient data and multiple testing correction. The review provides strong evidence for the effectiveness of PT interventions in stroke rehabilitation, emphasizing the importance of intensity and task-specific training.This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to update the evidence for physical therapy (PT) interventions in stroke rehabilitation. The study included 467 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 25,373 patients, with a median PEDro score of 6 (IQR 5–7). The outcomes were classified according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Strong evidence was found for significant positive effects of 13 interventions related to gait, 11 interventions related to arm-hand activities, 1 intervention for Activities of Daily Living (ADL), and 3 interventions for physical fitness. The effects were mostly restricted to the trained functions and activities. Intensive, high-repetition, task-oriented, and task-specific training were found to be beneficial across all phases poststroke. Subgroup analyses revealed significant differences in timing poststroke for 10 interventions. Neurological treatment approaches showed equal or unfavorable effects compared to other training interventions. The main limitations included the lack of individual patient data and multiple testing correction. The review provides strong evidence for the effectiveness of PT interventions in stroke rehabilitation, emphasizing the importance of intensity and task-specific training.
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