Comparing the Effectiveness of Physical Rehabilitation Interventions for Post-Stroke Function and Mobility Recovery: A Meta-Analysis

Various interventions to physical rehabilitation have been used after stroke, including musculoskeletal, neurophysiological, and motor learning interventions, with ongoing debates and controversies about their relative effectiveness. In this systematic review, we searched 3 international electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library) to identify relevant studies. We included only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that directly compared motor relearning, neurophysiological, and musculoskeletal interventions for improving motor function in adult stroke patients. Risk of bias (RoB) assessment was performed using Cochrane’s RoB tool, and meta-analysis was conducted using Revman 5.4 with a random effects model. Certainty of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations method. The meta-analysis for immediate outcome for physical rehabilitation included 9 RCTs for balance, 10 RCTs for gait velocity, 7 RCTs for lower extremity motor function and 8 RCTs for performance of activities of daily living. There was no statistically significant different on improvement of balance, gait velocity, lower extremity motor function and performance of activity among physical rehabilitation interventions. Moderate-level evidence supports that no single intervention is superior. Clinicians and therapist should consider individual patient characteristics, preferences, and available resources when selecting the intervention for stroke rehabilitation.