Chronic Stroke Outcome Measures for Motor Function Intervention Trials: Expert Panel Recommendations.

Background: About half of survivors with stroke experience severe and significant long-term disability. The purpose of this article is to review the state of the science and to make recommendations for measuring patient-centric outcomes in interventions for motor improvement in the chronic stroke phase.

Methods And Results: A 9-member expert panel reviewed evidence to identify measures of upper and lower extremity function used to date as outcomes in trials with patients who experienced a stroke ≥6 months before assessment.

Review of therapeutic electrical stimulation for dorsiflexion assist and orthotic substitution from the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine stroke movement interventions subcommittee.

Ankle dorsiflexion weakness that impedes walking affects some 30% of people after a stroke, which increases the risk of falls and mortality. Recent advances in functional electrical stimulation or electrical stimulation orthotic substitute walking devices facilitate the use of surface electrode stimulation during therapeutic gait training and as an orthotic substitute. However, many therapists who could promote the use of these electrical stimulation orthotic substitute devices are not doing so, possibly because of a lack of knowledge about the devices and uncertainty about which patients could benefit from the devices but also because of a lack of reimbursement by some insurance providers.

Whole-body intensive rehabilitation is feasible and effective in chronic stroke survivors: a retrospective data analysis.

Purpose: Upper extremity (UE) intensive repetitive training, locomotor training, and functional strength training, delivered in isolation, promote neural plasticity and functional recovery after stroke. However, the effectiveness of a comprehensive whole-body approach combining these interventions has not been thoroughly investigated. The purpose of this retrospective data analysis was to evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of intensive, comprehensive rehabilitation for a heterogeneous population of chronic stroke survivors in a community clinic setting.