ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions on physical function and immobility-related complications in severe stroke.DesignSystematic review of electronic databases (Medline, Excerpta Medica database, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, Physiotherapy Evidence Database, Database of Research in Stroke, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) searched between January 1987 and November 2018.MethodsThe Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis statement guided the review. Randomised controlled trials comparing the effect of one type of rehabilitation intervention to another intervention, usual care or no intervention on physical function and immobility-related complications for patients with severe stroke were included. Studies that recruited participants with all levels of stroke severity were included only if subgroup analysis based on stroke severity was performed. Two reviewers screened search results, selected studies using predefined selection criteria, extracted data and assessed risk of bias for selected studies using piloted proformas. Marked heterogeneity prevented meta-analysis and a descriptive review was performed. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach was used to assess evidence strength.Results28 studies (n=2677, mean age 72.7 years, 49.3% males) were included in the review. 24 studies were rated low or very low quality due to high risk of bias and small sample sizes. There was high-quality evidence that very early mobilisation (ie, mobilisation with 24 hours poststroke) and occupational therapy in care homes were no more effective than usual care. There was moderate quality evidence supporting short-term benefits of wrist and finger neuromuscular electrical stimulation in improving wrist extensor and grip strength, additional upper limb training on improving upper limb function and additional lower limb training on improving upper limb function, independence in activities of daily living, gait speed and gait independence.ConclusionsThere is a paucity of high-quality evidence to support the use of rehabilitation interventions to improve physical function and reduce immobility-related complications after severe stroke. Future research investigating more commonly used rehabilitation interventions, particularly to reduce poststroke complications, is required.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42017077737

BackgroundStroke rehabilitation aims to optimise function and reduce complications post-stroke. Rehabilitation to optimise physical function post-stroke has beneficial effects for survivors of mild to moderate stroke. However, little is known about the effectiveness of interventions to rehabilitate physical function or manage immobility-related complications for survivors of severe stroke. The systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions on physical function and immobility-related complications in severe stroke and identify topics for future research in this area.MethodsA systematic review of relevant electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, AMED, PEDro, DORIS and CENTRAL) between January 1987 and July 2017 will be undertaken to identify eligible published randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in any language. Ongoing RCTs will be identified by searching health-care trial registers (Stroke Trials Registry, ClinicalTrials.gov). Hand searches of identified study reference lists will also be performed. The PRISMA statement will be used to guide the systematic review. Two reviewers will screen search results, select studies using pre-defined selection criteria, extract data from and assess risk of bias for selected studies. Studies comparing the effect of one type of rehabilitation intervention to another or usual care on physical function and immobility-related complications for patients with severe stroke will be included. Studies may include participants with all levels of stroke severity but must provide sub-group analysis based on stroke severity. Studies will focus on any phase of the stroke rehabilitation pathway and will be grouped and analysed according to their timeframe post-stroke into acute and early sub-acute (up to 3 months post-stroke), early sub-acute to late sub-acute (from 3 to 6 months post-stroke) and chronic (greater than 6 months post-stroke). If sufficient studies demonstrate homogeneity, a meta-analysis will pool results of individual outcomes. The GRADE approach will be used to assess the evidence strength.DiscussionThe results of this systematic review will summarise the strength of evidence for rehabilitation interventions used in the rehabilitation of physical function and immobility-related complications in severe stroke and identify gaps in evidence.Systematic review registrationThe systematic review was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO)—registration number CRD77737.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s13643-018-0870-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Purpose: Exercise improves functional outcome post-stroke, but how long patients with differing severity spend undertaking active exercise within physiotherapy sessions is unknown. We aimed to investigate if stroke severity is associated with time undertaking active exercise in physiotherapy sessions, and if any differences between planned and actual physiotherapy session length existed. Materials and methods: A prospective observational study of 107 stroke rehabilitation sessions in a UK acute stroke unit. Data recorded included patient demographics (age, gender, time post-stroke and Barthel Index score) and session attributes (planned and actual session length, time undertaking active exercise, grade of treating therapist). Results: There was a significant negative association between increasing stroke severity and percentage of time undertaking active exercise in physiotherapy sessions (p < 0.001). No other observed factors were associated with time undertaking active exercise. Mean session length across all levels of stroke severity was 32 min (SD 9.26) which was significantly less than planned (p < 0.05). There was no difference in mean session length or between planned and actual physiotherapy session length between patients of differing severity. Conclusions: Patients with greater stroke severity participate in less active exercise in physiotherapy sessions than those with lesser stroke severity. Reasons for this disparity warrant further investigation. ä IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONStroke patients with higher levels of severity engage in less active exercise during rehabilitation. A discrepancy exists between patients' planned physiotherapy session lengths and actual session lengths during stroke rehabilitation. Physiotherapists should be mindful in how to adapt their sessions (particularly with severe stroke patients) to maximise the amount of activity they undertake. Physiotherapists should be flexible in their delivery of rehabilitation to ensure that the length of patient sessions reflect patients' needs.