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Cutaneous stimulation had positive effects in the motor performance, limb sensation and the configuration of SEP of the paretic limb in chronic stroke patients.

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Exercise therapy with walking training improved gait function irrespective of the method used, but the time and effort required to achieve the results favour the gait trainer exercise. Early intensive gait training resulted in better walking ability than did conventional treatment.

Objective: to determine the effects of physiotherapy inter ventions on balance in people with multiple sclerosis. Data sources: A systematic literature search was conducted in Medline, cinahl, embase, PeDro, both electronically and by manual search up to March 2011. Study selection: Randomized controlled trials of physiothe rapy interventions in people with multiple sclerosis, with an outcome measure linked to the International Classifica tion of Functioning, Disability and Health (icF) category of "changing and maintaining body position", were included. Data extraction: the quality of studies was determined by the van tulder criteria. Metaanalyses were performed in subgroups according to the intervention. Data synthesis: After screening 233 fulltext papers, 11 stud ies were included in a qualitative analysis and 7 in a meta analysis. the methodological quality of the studies ranged from poor to moderate. Low evidence was found for the effi cacy of specific balance exercises, physical therapy based on an individualized problemsolving approach, and resistance and aerobic exercises on improving balance among ambula tory people with multiple sclerosis. Conclusion: These findings indicate small, but significant, effects of physiotherapy on balance in people with multiple sclerosis who have a mild to moderate level of disability. However, evidence for severely disabled people is lacking, and further research is needed.

Constraint-induced movement therapy and modified constraint-induced movement therapy proved to be effective on affected hand mobility and to some extent self-care on the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health activity and participation component, but further studies are needed to find out the optimal treatment protocols for constraint-induced movement therapy.

Functionality of PAS intervention was not demonstrated in this study. However, the observed relationship between excitability and fatigue resistance suggests that PAS might have affected central fatigue during short maximal contractions.

Objective: To examine the effect of randomized controlled trials of walking training on walking and self-care in patients with stroke. Data sources: MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, PEDro, OTSeeker, Central, and manual search to the end of August 2012. Study selection: English, Finnish, Swedish, or German language walking training randomized controlled trials for patients over 18 years of age with stroke. Data synthesis: The meta-analyses included 38 randomized controlled trials from 44 reports. There was high evidence that in the subacute stage of stroke, specific walking training resulted in improved walking speed and distance compared with traditional walking training of the same intensity. In the chronic stage, walking training resulted in increased walking speed and walking distance compared with no/placebo treatment, and increased walking speed compared with overall physio therapy. On average, 24 training sessions for 7 weeks were needed. Conclusion: Walking training improves walking capacity and, to some extent, self-care in different stages of stroke, but the training frequency should be fairly high.