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Evidence summaries

Physiotherapy for the Recovery of Postural Control and Lower Limb Function Following Stroke

Physiotherapy using a mix of components from different approaches may be more effective than no treatment or placebo control in the recovery of functional independence following stroke. Level of evidence: "C"

A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 21 studies with a total of 1087 subjects. Eight trials compared a neurophysiological approach with another approach; eight compared a motor learning approach with another approach; and eight compared a mixed approach with another approach. A mixed approach was significantly more effective than no treatment or placebo control for improving functional independence (standardised mean difference [SMD] 0.94, 95% CI 0.08 to 1.80; 5 trials, n=427). There was no significant evidence that any single approach had a better outcome than any other single approach or no treatment control.

Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by limitations in study quality and by inconsistency (heterogeneity in interventions and outcomes).

    References

    • Pollock A, Baer G, Pomeroy V, Langhorne P. Physiotherapy treatment approaches for the recovery of postural control and lower limb function following stroke. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2007 Jan 24;(1):CD001920. [PubMed]

Primary/Secondary Keywords