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Background: Despite advances in stroke rehabilitation, challenges in upper limb motor recovery and postural stability persist, negatively affecting overall well-being. Arm slings and shoulder braces have been proposed to address these issues, but their efficacy in promoting postural stability remains unclear., Objective: This pilot randomized controlled study aimed to evaluate the impact of a new shoulder brace (N1-Neurosling) on trunk postural stability during walking, pain, and upper limb muscle strength in chronic stroke survivors., Methods: Twenty-four adult chronic stroke patients were involved and randomly assigned to the shoulder brace group (SBg) or control group (CTRLg). Were assessed at baseline (T0) and after 4 weeks (T1) through the Trunk Control Test, the Numerical Rating Scale, the Motricity Index, Manual Muscle Test, and instrumental wearable-based assessment., Results: After 4 weeks, the SBg showed significant improvement in Trunk Control Test scores (p = 0.020) and smoothness of gait measured by log dimensionless jerk along the Antero-Posterior axis (- 5.31±0.25 vs. - 5.18±0.27, p = 0.018) compared to the CTRLg. The SBg also demonstrated a reduction in pain in the shoulder girdle and enhanced upper limb muscle strength., Conclusion: The use of the N1-Neurosling shoulder brace led to improvements in postural stability and smoothness of gait in stroke patients.

Background: Since birth, during the exploration of the environment to interact with objects, we exploit both the motor and sensory components of the upper limb (UL). This ability to integrate sensory and motor information is often compromised following a stroke. However, to date, rehabilitation protocols are focused primarily on recovery of motor function through physical therapies. Therefore, we have planned a clinical trial to investigate the effect on functionality of UL after a sensorimotor transcranial stimulation (real vs sham) in add-on to robot-assisted therapy in the stroke population., Methods: A randomised double-blind controlled trial design involving 32 patients with a single chronic stroke (onset > 180 days) was planned. Each patient will undergo 15 consecutive sessions (5 days for 3 weeks) of paired associative stimulation (PAS) coupled with UL robot-assisted therapy. PAS stimulation will be administered using a bifocal transcranial magnetic stimulator (TMS) on the posterior-parietal cortex and the primary motor area (real or sham) of the lesioned hemisphere. Clinical, kinematics and neurophysiological changes will be evaluated at the end of protocol and at 1-month follow-up and compared with baseline. The Fugl-Meyer assessment scale will be the primary outcome. Secondly, kinematic variables will be recorded during the box-and-block test and reaching tasks using video analysis and inertial sensors. Single pulse TMS and electroencephalography will be used to investigate the changes in local cortical reactivity and in the interconnected areas., Discussion: The presented trial shall evaluate with a multimodal approach the effects of sensorimotor network stimulation applied before a robot-assisted therapy training on functional recovery of the upper extremity after stroke. The combination of neuromodulation and robot-assisted therapy can promote an increase of cortical plasticity of sensorimotor areas followed by a clinical benefit in the motor function of the upper limb., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05478434. Registered on 28 Jul 2022., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: The recovery of independence in activities of daily living is a fundamental goal of rehabilitation programs in subjects affected by subacute stroke. Rehabilitation is focused both on motor and cognitive aspects, and some evidence has reported cognitive deficits as prognostic factors of motor recovery. However, rehabilitation is a dynamic process during which executive functions and motor functions should be improved., Aim: The aim of the study is to evaluate the relationships between impairments in cognitive functions and recovery of functional independence in stroke patients during the subacute phase., Design: Multicenter observational study., Setting: Intensive rehabilitation units., Population: A sample of 319 stroke patients in subacute phase (70.6±11.6 years, 40.4% females), consecutively admitted from November 2019 to July 2021 at sixteen rehabilitation centers were enrolled in this observational, prospective and multicentric study with longitudinal assessments., Methods: Cognitive and functional assessments were performed at hospital admission and discharge, including Oxford Cognitive Screen, modified Barthel Index, Functional Independent Measure, Fugl-Meyer assessment scale and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale., Results: A regression analysis identified five predictors (out of about 200 tested variables) of functional recovery related to four aspects assessed at admission: functional status (P<0.001), lower limb functioning (P=0.002), attention (P=0.011), and executive functions (P=0.017). Furthermore, patients who recovered deficits in executive functions had the same recovery of those without deficits, whereas those who maintained deficits had a smaller recovery (P=0.019)., Conclusions: The relationship between cognitive and motor deficits is increasingly highlighted and the recovery of executive functions deficits seems to contribute to motor recovery., Clinical Rehabilitation Impact: Our results suggest that the recovery of executive functions may promote the recovery of the functional outcome of the patient with subacute stroke. Future treatment protocols may benefit from paying more attention to the recovery of executive functions.

Motivated behaviours are thought to lead to enhanced performances. In the neurorehabilitation field, motivation has been demonstrated to be a link between cognition and motor performance, therefore playing an important role upon rehabilitation outcome determining factors. While motivation-enhancing interventions have been frequently investigated, a common and reliable motivation assessment strategy has not been established yet. This review aims to systematically explore and provide a comparison among the existing motivation assessment tools concerning stroke rehabilitation. For this purpose, a literature search (PubMed and Google Scholar) was performed, using the following Medical Subject Headings terms: "assessment" OR "scale" AND "motivation" AND "stroke" AND "rehabilitation". In all, 31 randomized clinical trials and 15 clinical trials were examined. The existing assessment tools can be grouped into two categories: the first mirroring the trade-off between patients and rehabilitation, the latter reflecting the link between patients and interventions. Furthermore, we presented assessment tools which reflect participation level or apathy, as an indirect index of motivation. In conclusion, we are left to put forth a possible common motivation assessment strategy, which might provide valuable incentive to investigate in future research.

Beyond brain deficits caused by strokes, the effectiveness of neurorehabilitation is strongly influenced by the baseline clinical features of stroke patients, including a patient's current nutritional status. Malnutrition, either as a pre-stroke existing condition or occurring because of ischemic injury, predisposes patients to poor rehabilitation outcomes. On the other hand, a proper nutritional status compliant with the specific needs required by the process of brain recovery plays a key role in post-stroke rehabilitative outcome favoring neuroplasticity mechanisms. Oxidative stress and inflammation play a role in stroke-associated malnutrition, as well as in the cascade of ischemic events in the brain area, where ischemic damage leads to neuronal death and brain infarction, and, via cell-to-cell signaling, the alteration of neuroplasticity processes underlying functional recovery induced by multidisciplinary rehabilitative treatment. Nutrition strategies based on food components with oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties may help to reverse or stop malnutrition and may be a prerequisite for supporting the ability of neuronal plasticity to result in satisfactory rehabilitative outcome in stroke patients. To expand nutritional recommendations for functional rehabilitation recovery, studies considering the evolution of nutritional status changes in post-stroke patients over time are required. The assessment of nutritional status must be included as a routine tool in rehabilitation settings for the integrated care of stroke-patients.

After a stroke event, most survivors suffer from arm paresis, poor motor control and other disabilities that make activities of daily living difficult, severely affecting quality of life and personal independence. This randomized controlled trial aimed at evaluating the efficacy of a music-based sonification approach on upper limbs motor functions, quality of life and pain perceived during rehabilitation. The study involved 65 subacute stroke individuals during inpatient rehabilitation allocated into 2 groups which underwent usual care dayweek) respectively of standard upper extremity motor rehabilitation or upper extremity treatment with sonification techniques. The Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity Scale, Box and Block Test and the Modified Ashworth Scale were used to perform motor assessment and the McGill Quality of Life-it and the Numerical Pain Rating Scale to assess quality of life and pain. The assessment was performed at baseline, after 2 weeks, at the end of treatment and at follow-up (1 month after the end of treatment). Total scores of the Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity Scale (primary outcome measure) and hand and wrist sub scores, manual dexterity scores of the affected and unaffected limb in the Box and Block Test, pain scores of the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (secondary outcomes measures) significantly improved in the sonification group compared to the standard of care group (time*group interaction < 0.05). Our findings suggest that music-based sonification sessions can be considered an effective standardized intervention for the upper limb in subacute stroke rehabilitation.

Background and Purpose: The aim of this study is to observe the differences between fallers, common fallers, and non-fallers in stroke patients compared with the global ability in a rehabilitation setting., Materials and Methods: An observational and prospective study has been carried out. A total of 476 subacute stroke patients have been observed. The main outcome measures were assessed using the Canadian Neurological Scale (CNS), Barthel Index (BI), Functional Ambulatory Category (FAC), and Trunk Control Test (TCT) at admission to the rehabilitation unit and after 90 days of the rehabilitation treatment (nearly 3 h for day for 5 days for week) at the discharge with intermediate evaluations after the first and second months., Results: Out of 397 patients, 109 reported 1 or more falls (27.5%), of whom 67 fell 1 time (fallers) in the hospital (16.9%) and 42 fell 2 or more times (common fallers) (10.6%). For fallers, BI and FAC scores had a significant effect (p = 0.003 for both). Common fallers had statistically significant differences in BI (p = 0.002), FAC (p = 0.012), and TCT scores (0.023) compared with non-fallers., Conclusions: The severity of stroke may directly increase the risk of fall, and also indirectly, lengthening the hospitalization. Our study seems to suggest that patients with BI scores of between 21 and 30 on admission are more prone to fall in the first period of hospitalization, whereas in the second month, those with scores of between 11 and 20 on admission have a higher risk of falls. In the third month, patients with BI scores below 10 on admission are more susceptible to falls.

Cerebrovascular diseases, including stroke, are historically considered diseases of old adults so only in a few studies has "return to work" (RTW) been considered as an index of rehabilitative outcome. At the moment, data on RTW in patients with stroke are highly variable: four different reviews reported the following ranges: 11-85%, 19-73%, 22-53%, and 40-45%. The absence of re-integration to work after a stroke is shown to be associated with an increase of cardiac disorders and depression, with a higher level of mortality, with social isolation and with insufficient adaptive skills. The aim of this study was to verify the effectiveness of technological treatment, performed with optic (SonicHand) and wearable (Riablo™) systems providing auditory and visual biofeedback, on RTW in patients with stroke. RTW was found to be associated with a higher independence in the activities of daily living (assessed by the Modified Barthel Index). No significant differences were found between technological versus conventional rehabilitation in terms of RTW, despite the former showing a higher odds ratio than the latter (OR = 9 vs. 6). Assistive devices were mainly used in patients who had not returned to work. Finally, quality of life was found higher in those patients who returned to work with the same conditions (work duties and time) as before stroke.

Over the last decades, virtual reality (VR) emerged as a potential tool for developing new rehabilitation treatments in neurological patients. However, despite the increasing number of studies, a clear comprehension about the impact of immersive VR-treatment on balance and posture is still scarce. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effects of VR cues on balance performances of subjects affected by stroke, age-matched healthy subjects, and young healthy subjects. Fifteen patients with sub-acute stroke, fifteen healthy elderly subjects and fifteen healthy young adults took part in this study. All groups were immersed in a CAVE system on a stabilometric platform. The experiment consisted in fourteen trials: (i) ten VR trials, which differed in term of speed and movement direction; (ii) two-stabilometric static sessions, with opened and closed eyes (one at the start and one at the end of the experimental session). Results showed that VR trials increased the sway path length (representative of the body sway amplitudes), in young subjects. Elderly and patients showed less changes in postural sway during virtual reality stimulation than young group. These findings may suggest that a physiological postural performance is not simply evaluable assessing stability, but also assessing the ability of adapting body oscillations to the external stimuli., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction : Robot-assisted therapy is an emerging approach that performs highly repetitive, intensive, task oriented and quantifiable neuro-rehabilitation. In the last decades, it has been increasingly used in a wide range of neurological central nervous system conditions implying an upper limb paresis. Results from the studies are controversial, for the many types of robots and their features often not accompanied by specific clinical indications about the target functions, fundamental for the individualized neurorehabilitation program. Areas covered : This article reviews the state of the art and perspectives of robotics in post-stroke rehabilitation for upper limb recovery. Classifications and features of robots have been reported in accordance with technological and clinical contents, together with the definition of determinants specific for each patient, that could modify the efficacy of robotic treatments. The possibility of combining robotic intervention with other therapies has also been discussed. Expert commentary : The recent wide diffusion of robots in neurorehabilitation has generated a confusion due to the commingling of technical and clinical aspects not previously clarified. Our critical review provides a possible hypothesis about how to match a robot with subject's upper limb functional abilities, but also highlights the need of organizing a clinical consensus conference about the robotic therapy.

Background: Recently, the potential rehabilitation value of music has been examined and music-based interventions and techniques such as the Negative Mismatch (MMN) have been increasingly investigated in the neurological rehabilitation context., Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a negative mismatch-based therapy on the disability and quality of life in patients with stroke in sub-acute phase., Methods: Thirty patients with a stroke diagnosis in sub-acute phase were randomly assigned to one of two groups: Mismatch (Mg) or Control (CTRLg) group. Both groups used an innovative Android application: Temporal Musical Patterns Organisation (Te.M.P.O). The Disability Rating Scale (DRS), the Modified Barthel Index (MBI) and the Stroke Specific Quality of Life scale (SSQoL) were used at the baseline (T0) and after four weeks of training (T1), in order to assess changes over time., Results: Statistical analysis was performed using the data of 24 (Mg = 12, CTRLg = 12) subjects. The results show a major improvement of the Mg with respect to the CTRLg in all clinical scales score., Conclusion: The temporal negative mismatch-based therapy performed with the Te.M.P.O. application could be useful in improving the disability and the quality of life in stroke survivors in a sub-acute phase.

Among the new rehabilitation strategies aimed at improving independent walking after stroke, the body weight-support training allows an early and controlled ambulatory training. To date, most available studies are based on treadmill body weight-support (BWS) training and involve patients with chronic stroke sequelae. In contrast, the effects of a BWS training performed on the ground in patients with subacute hemiparesis (stroke within 4 weeks), with significant gait deficiencies, is unknown. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a rehabilitative program that combines conventional approach with an early overground body weight-support training, in terms of recovery of independent walking focussing on patients with subacute stroke. The secondary aim was to evaluate the impact of body weight-support also on functional mobility, overall disability, and gait endurance. A total of 37 participants were enrolled and randomized to experimental group or control group for the baseline evaluations. In the experimental group, body weight-supported overground walking was added to conventional physiotherapy for 4 weeks. The outcome measurements used were: Functional Ambulation Classification (FAC), Rivermead Mobility Index, Barthel Index, and the 6-minute Walk Test. At the evaluation 1 week after the end of the intervention period, experimental group reached a statistically significant increase of independent walking as detected by FAC (experimental group: 3 vs. control group: 2, P < 0.01). No differences were observed by the other evaluation outcome measures. We conclude that BWS training may be more effective than conventional therapy alone in improving walking autonomy in persons with subacute stroke.

Background: Add-on robot-mediated therapy has proven to be more effective than conventional therapy alone in post-stroke gait rehabilitation. Such robot-mediated interventions routinely use also visual biofeedback tools. A better understanding of biofeedback content effects when used for robotic locomotor training may improve the rehabilitation process and outcomes., Methods: This randomized cross-over pilot trial aimed to address the possible impact of different biofeedback contents on patients' performance and experience during Lokomat training, by comparing a novel biofeedback based on online biological electromyographic information (EMGb) versus the commercial joint torque biofeedback (Rb) in sub-acute non ambulatory patients. 12 patients were randomized into two treatment groups, A and B, based on two different biofeedback training. For both groups, study protocol consisted of 12 Lokomat sessions, 6 for each biofeedback condition, 40 min each, 3 sessions per week of frequency. All patients performed Lokomat trainings as an add-on therapy to the conventional one that was the same for both groups and consisted of 40 min per day, 5 days per week. The primary outcome was the Modified Ashworth Spasticity Scale, and secondary outcomes included clinical, neurological, mechanical, and personal experience variables collected before and after each biofeedback training., Results: Lokomat training significantly improved gait/daily living activity independence and trunk control, nevertheless, different effects due to biofeedback content were remarked. EMGb was more effective to reduce spasticity and improve muscle force at the ankle, knee and hip joints. Robot data suggest that Rb induces more adaptation to robotic movements than EMGb. Furthermore, Rb was perceived less demanding than EMGb, even though patient motivation was higher for EMGb. Robot was perceived to be effective, easy to use, reliable and safe: acceptability was rated as very high by all patients., Conclusions: Specific effects can be related to biofeedback content: when muscular-based information is used, a more direct effect on lower limb spasticity and muscle activity is evidenced. In a similar manner, when biofeedback treatment is based on joint torque data, a higher patient compliance effect in terms of force exerted is achieved. Subjects who underwent EMGb seemed to be more motivated than those treated with Rb.

Importance: Gait and balance impairment is associated with poorer functional recovery after stroke. The cerebellum is known to be strongly implicated in the functional reorganization of motor networks in patients with stroke, especially for gait and balance functions., Objective: To determine whether cerebellar intermittent θ-burst stimulation (CRB-iTBS) can improve balance and gait functions in patients with hemiparesis due to stroke., Design, Setting, Participants: This randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled phase IIa trial investigated efficacy and safety of a 3-week treatment of CRB-iTBS coupled with physiotherapy in promoting gait and balance recovery in patients with stroke. Thirty-six patients with consecutive ischemic chronic stroke in the territory of the contralateral middle cerebral artery with hemiparesis were recruited from a neuro-rehabilitation hospital. Participants were screened and enrolled from March 2013 to June 2017. Intention-to-treat analysis was performed., Interventions: Patients were randomly assigned to treatment with CRB-iTBS or sham iTBS applied over the cerebellar hemisphere ipsilateral to the affected body side immediately before physiotherapy daily during 3 weeks., Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the between-group difference in change from baseline in the Berg Balance Scale. Secondary exploratory measures included the between-group difference in change from baseline in Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale, Barthel Index, and locomotion assessment with gait analysis and cortical activity measured by transcranial magnetic stimulation in combination with electroencephalogram., Results: A total of 34 patients (mean [SD] age, 64 [11.3] years; 13 women [38.2%]) completed the study. Patients treated with CRB-iTBS, but not with sham iTBS, showed an improvement of gait and balance functions, as revealed by a pronounced increase in the mean (SE) Berg Balance Scale score (baseline: 34.5 [3.4]; 3 weeks after treatment: 43.4 [2.6]; 3 weeks after the end of treatment: 47.5 [1.8]; P < .001). No overall treatment-associated differences were noted in the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (mean [SE], baseline: 163.8 [6.8]; 3 weeks after treatment: 171.1 [7.2]; 3 weeks after the end of treatment: 173.5 [6.9]; P > .05) and Barthel Index scores (mean [SE], baseline: 71.1 [4.92]; 3 weeks after treatment: 88.8 [2.1]; 3 weeks after the end of treatment: 92.2 [2.4]; P > .05). Patients treated with CRB-iTBS, but not sham iTBS, showed a reduction of step width at the gait analysis (mean [SE], baseline: 16.8 [4.8] cm; 3 weeks after treatment: 14.3 [6.2] cm; P < .05) and an increase of neural activity over the posterior parietal cortex., Conclusions and Relevance: Cerebellar intermittent θ-burst stimulation promotes gait and balance recovery in patients with stroke by acting on cerebello-cortical plasticity. These results are important to increase the level of independent walking and reduce the risk of falling., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03456362.

Background: Oropharyngeal dysphagia is a common problem in subacute stroke patients leading to aspiration pneumonia and malnutrition. Non-invasive neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) coupled with traditional therapy could be best treatment option for patients with post-stroke dysphagia, however results are still inconclusive and more studies are requested., Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of laryngopharyngeal neuromuscular electrical stimulation on dysphagia caused by stroke., Methods: Thirty-three patients affected by subacute stroke and dysphagia participated in this study. The subjects were divided into NMES plus traditional dysphagia training (n = 17) and traditional dysphagia training alone in a time matched condition (n = 16). Both groups were treated 5 days/week for 8 weeks. All patients were evaluated before and after the treatment. The study was designed as a single blind randomized controlled trial. Primary outcomes were considered the status of swallowing function according to the Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS), the instrumental Fiberoptic Endoscopic Examination of Swallowing examination, the Penetration Aspiration Scale and the Pooling score and the presence of oropharyngeal secretion. Secondary outcomes were the type of diet taken by mouth; the need for postural compensations and the duration of the dysphagia training., Results: A functional improvement was observed in both groups but treatment group showed a significant improvement for primary outcome with the exception of the pooling Score (p = 0.015, p = 0.203; p = 0.003; p = 0.048 respectively) and for secondary outcome p <0.005. The results confirm that laryngopharyngeal neuromuscular electrical stimulation in post-stroke patients with dysphonia improve outcome of the training., Conclusions: Laryngopharyngeal neuromuscular electrical stimulation may be considered as an additional and effective treatment option for dysphagia after stroke.

Background: After discharge, most patients who have suffered a stroke remain with some limitations in their stair climbing ability. This is a critical factor in order to be independent in real-life mobility. Although there are several studies on prognostic factors for gait recovery, few of them have focused on the recovery of stair climbing., Aim: The aim of this study was to identify prognostic risk factors for the recovery of stair climbing ability in a large sample of subjects with subacute stroke., Design: Observational study., Setting: Neurorehabilitation Inpatient Unit., Population: Subjects within the first month after stroke that had been admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation unit and discharged after an intensive inpatient rehabilitation., Methods: Demographical and clinical data were collected. Barthel Index (BI), Trunk Control Test and Motricity Index (MI) scores were recorded at admission and at discharge. Patients received two daily 40-minute sessions of motor rehabilitation, six days per week, during approximately two months. Forward Binary Logistic regressions were used to identify the role of risk factors, using as dependent variables the recovery of stair climbing ability and walking ability at discharge. As independent variables we used age, gender, onset-to-admission interval, side of hemiparesis, trunk control, Motricity Index (MI), presence of obesity, presence of neglect, presence of depression, classification of cerebral infarction (total anterior circulation, partial anterior circulation, posterior circulation or lacunar infarcts), degree of independence in activities of daily living, and cognitive state, all assessed at admission., Results: A total of 257 subjects were enrolled. BI-Score, MI-Score and presence of unilateral spatial neglect at admission were able to explain 83% of variance for the recovery of stair climbing ability. Subjects with a BI >40 at admission were about 17 times more likely to be able to climb stairs again than other patients, and those with MI ≥25 were about 9 times more likely than the rest. The presence of unilateral spatial neglect reduced this possibility of recovering stair climbing ability by about 5.5 times. Of these factors, only MI ≥25, together with a score at Trunk Control Test >12, significantly predicted also walking recovery., Conclusions: This study highlights the different prognostic factors for recovering stair climbing and walking abilities, with a major role of unilateral spatial neglect in the former., Clinical Rehabilitation Impact: There is a need for specific rehabilitation of stair climbing, also for improving the independence in activities of daily living, especially in patients who the clinical staff already knows should manage stairs in their community after being discharged.

Even after rehabilitation, post stroke patients remain disabled. The Post Stroke Checklist (PSC) was developed to highlight unmet needs of community-dwelling stroke patients. The present study set out to validate Post Soft Care-App, designed to administer the PSC using smartphones and tablets, in order to monitor unmet needs in chronic patients. Fifty-three patients and fifteen physiotherapists were enrolled. The therapists administered the PSC to patients using the app, and then completed a structured questionnaire on its usability and utility. The Post Soft Care-App highlighted the following unmet needs: increased spasticity (56.6%), reduced independence in activities of daily living (47.2%), reduced mobility (45.3%), absence of secondary prevention (45.3%). Therapists positively evaluated Post Soft Care-App as useful, practical, quick to complete (96.2%), and effective in helping improve communication with patients (75.5%). The Post Soft Care-App can be considered a valid assessment tool for helping therapists to monitor functional outcomes in chronic patients.

Stroke patients have reduced balance and postural control that limits their activities of daily living and participation in social life. Recently, many exergaming systems based on video-biofeedback have been developed for balance training in neurological conditions, however their efficacy remains to be proven. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects on balance skills and patient compliance of biofeedback training based on inertial measurement units and exergaming in subacute stroke. The enrolled subjects were randomized into two groups: subjects allocated to the experimental group performed 10 sessions of biofeedback balance training using inertial sensors, whereas subjects allocated to the control group performed 10 sessions of conventional balance training. All subjects were assessed at T0 (pre-treatment), T1 (posttreatment) and T2 (1-month follow-up). The Berg Balance Scale, Rivermead Mobility Index and modified Barthel Index were used to assess balance, mobility and global disability, respectively. To assess the severity of the stroke and its effects on the patient we used the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and the Canadian Neurological Scale. Finally, a static force platform evaluating stabilometric parameters was used to assess balance skills. Fifteen subjects with subacute stroke (4F; age 57.80 ± 13.7) completed the experimental protocol. The analysis showed a significant improvement in balance skills and in the overall clinical outcomes in the experimental group compared with the control group; the experimental group also showed better compliance with the training. The biofeedback system of the device used in this study probably enhances neuroplasticity mechanisms of postural and balance skills in subacute stroke patients.

The needs of community-dwelling stroke patients are often not fully addressed. The Global Stroke Community Advisory Panel had developed the Post Stroke Checklist (PSC) with the aim of standardizing long-term stroke assessment and consequently care of patients. PSC has been validated for UK and Singapore, and an Italian version has been proposed. The aim of this study is to assess the needs of community-dwelling Italian stroke patients using an online version of PSC. Secondary aim is to assess utility of PSC for patients and clinicians. The PSC was administered to a sample of 64 patients with stroke in Italy by general practioners. PSC is a questionnaire formed by 11 questions, each one covering a domain identified as important for patients' health. After administration of PSC, patient and clinician satisfaction with the PSC was assessed by a specific questionnaire. The PSC identified specific problems for patients related to a worsening from the last examination not evaluated by any specialist. The online PSC highlighted problems related to mood, (in 50% of sample), mobility (53.1%), spasticity (42.2%), and pain (37.5%). Both patients and clinicians provided good results about the utility of online PSC. The PSC was confirmed to be a useful tool for identifying the needs of community-dwelling patients with stroke. Particular attention should be deserved to problems related to mood, mobility, and hence participation to social life, pain, and spasticity. For taking into account these aspects, the online PSC can be a useful portable tool for clinicians.

Background: Vestibular rehabilitation (VR) consists in a customized exercise program patient-centred that includes a combination of different exercise components with the aim to promote gaze stability, improve balance and gait, and facilitate somatosensory integration., Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of customized vestibular rehabilitation training on gait stability of patients with subacute stroke., Methods: Twenty-five inpatients (12 M, age: 64.1±12.1 years) with diagnosis of subacute stroke were enrolled and randomized in two groups. All patients were evaluated before and after 4 weeks of training sessions. An instrumented 10-Meter Walk Test together with traditional clinical scales were used to assess VR effects. To investigate if any fall event occurred after patients' dismissal, they were followed-up at three and twelve months after dismissal., Results: Higher values of walking speed and stride length were observed in the VR group. Conversely, no significant difference was found in terms of trunk stability. The results of between-group comparison highlight significant differences between the two groups for different clinical scale scores., Conclusion: VR could be included into a rehabilitation program for patients with stroke for improving their gait and dynamic balance acting on their vestibular system as facilitator of recovery.

Background: Robotic walking training improves probability to reach an autonomous walking in non-ambulant patients affected by subacute stroke. However, little information is available regarding the prognostic factors for identifying best responder patients. The purpose of the present study is therefore to investigate the clinical features of patients with subacute stroke that might benefit more from robotic walking therapy., Methods: One hundred subacute inpatients randomized in robotic or conventional gait training were assessed at baseline and after 4 weeks of training performed 5 times per week. Forward Binary Logistic Regression was performed using functional ambulation category (FAC) as dependent variable and as independent variables: trunk function (trunk control test), global ability (Barthel Index), age, sex, time from stroke and beginning of rehabilitation, side and type of stroke, and in the first analysis also type of treatment., Results: The parameters that have a significant effect on the FAC-score at discharge were a higher BI-score at admission, a higher TCT-score at admission, a short time from the ictus and a robotic therapy. The variance explained by these four factors was 78%. When the two groups were separately analysed for type of treatment, a higher BI-score and a short time from stroke resulted in good prognosis for conventional therapy, whereas only a high TCT-score improved efficacy of robotic training., Conclusion: Efficacy of robotic walking training was not associated with global ability at admission. Hence, more severely disabled patients may obtain greater benefit from robotic training, independently by other factors, except the need of a residual trunk control that was identified as a good prognostic factor for robotic walking training.

Background: Dual task paradigm is a common mechanism of daily life, and it is often used for investigating the effect on cognitive processing of motor behavior., Aim: In the present study we investigate the dual task interference during walking on upright gait stability., Design: Cross-sectional study., Setting: Inpatient neurorehabilitation unit and children neurorehabilitation unit., Population: Eighty-five subjects were enrolled, divided into five groups: healthy young, healthy elderly, children with typical development, children with cerebral palsy and adults with stroke in subacute phase., Methods: All subjects had to walk through a pathway during which they had to hear a sound, turn the head to watch a number and verbalize it. Subjects wore an accelerometer on their lumbar spine to measure upright gait stability have been assessed by means of the Root Mean Square (RMS) of the trunk acceleration., Results: All subjects showed a reduced speed when performing a dual task with respect to single task. This reduction was significantly different among groups (F(4,81)=12.253, P<0.001, effect size 0.377). The RMS appeared to be increased along the latero-lateral axis, and reduced along the anterio-posterior and the cranio-caudal axes during the dual task walking., Conclusions: These accelerations were significantly related to the changes in speed that were managed in a different way in subjects affected by cerebral palsy and stroke., Clinical Rehabilitation Impact: The information obtained in this study may be used to support specific rehabilitation techniques in subjects with poor balance ability.

Background: Despite upper limb rehabilitation is widely investigated in patients with stroke, the effects of scapulohumeral rehabilitation on trunk stabillization are mainly unknown., Objective: To test the effects of scapulohumeral rehabilitation protocol on trunk control recovery in patients with subacute stroke., Methods: A pilot randomized controlled trial with two groups of 14 patients each one performing 20 minutes per day, 5 days a week, for 6 weeks in add on to standard therapy. Experimental group performed a specific scapulohumeral rehabilitation protocol aiming to improve trunk competencies whereas control group performed conventional arm rehabilitation. Clinical scale tests and accelerometric evaluations were performed pre- and post-treatment., Results: Experimental groups showed better scores at discharge at Trunk impairment Scale (p < 0.001), Barthel Index (p = 0.024), Trunk Control Test (p = 0.002), Sitting Balance Scale (p = 0.002), but neither at Fugl-Meyer Scale (p = 0.194) nor Modified Ashworth Scale (p = 0.114). Accelerometric analysis showed higher stability of trunk for experimental group especially during static and dynamic items., Conclusions: The recovery of scapulohumeral functions also acts on trunk stabilization post-stroke.

Background: Extrapersonal unilateral spatial neglect after stroke is associated to a poor rehabilitation outcome. Minor attention has been paid to the recovery of personal neglect, to its relationship with the recovery of extrapersonal neglect and of independency in activities of daily living., Aim: The present study aims at evaluating whether there is an association between recovery of extrapersonal and personal neglect. The secondary aim was to investigate if personal neglect may affect the effectiveness of neurorehabilitation in patients with subacute stroke., Design: Observational study., Setting: Neurorehabilitation Hospital in Rome, Italy, inpatients., Population: A sample of 49 patients with unilateral spatial neglect resulting from right ischemic cerebral infarction was enrolled in this study, divided into three subgroups according to the presence and the degree of personal neglect, and evaluated pre and postneurorehabilitation., Methods: Personal neglect was evaluated using Zoccolotti and Judica's Scale, extrapersonal neglect using Letter Cancellation Test, Barrage Test, Sentence Reading Test and Wundt-Jastrow Area Illusion Test. Barthel Index (BI), Rivermead Mobility Index, and Canadian Neurological Scale were also administered., Results: Results showed the following: 1) recovery of personal neglect was not significantly correlated with that of extrapersonal neglect, despite both the disorders were ameliorated after a "non-specific" rehabilitation treatment; 2) personal neglect per se was not an additional negative prognostic factor in the rehabilitation findings., Conclusions: Our results suggested that the recoveries of the two types of neglect are independent from each other, and that the presence of personal neglect does not imply significant additional problems to the functional outcomes., Clinical Rehabilitation Impact: Our study highlighted the need of novel tools to assess the presence and to improve the recovery of personal neglect.

Background: Patients affected by mild stroke benefit more from physiological overground walking training than walking-like training performed in place using specific devices. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of overground robotic walking training performed with the servo-assistive robotic rollator (i-Walker) on walking, balance, gait stability and falls in a community setting in patients with mild subacute stroke., Methods: Forty-four patients were randomly assigned to two different groups that received the same therapy in two daily 40-min sessions 5 days a week for 4 weeks. Twenty sessions of standard therapy were performed by both groups. In the other 20 sessions the subjects enrolled in the i-Walker-Group (iWG) performed with the i-Walker and the Control-Group patients (CG) performed the same amount of conventional walking oriented therapy. Clinical and instrumented gait assessments were made pre- and post-treatment. The follow-up observation consisted of recording the number of fallers in the community setting after 6 months., Results: Treatment effectiveness was higher in the iWG group in terms of balance improvement (Tinetti: 68.4 ± 27.6 % vs. 48.1 ± 33.9 %, p = 0.033) and 10-m and 6-min timed walking tests (significant interaction between group and time: F(1,40) = 14.252, p = 0.001; and F(1,40) = 7.883, p = 0.008, respectively). When measured, latero-lateral upper body accelerations were reduced in iWG (F = 4.727, p = 0.036), suggesting increased gait stability, which was supported by a reduced number of falls at home., Conclusions: A robotic servo-assisted i-Walker improved walking performance and balance in patients affected by mild/moderate stroke, leading to increased gait stability and reduced falls in the community., Trial Registration: This study was registered on anzctr.org.au (July 1, 2015; ACTRN12615000681550 ).

Background: Unilateral spatial neglect (USN) after stroke is associated to severe disability and to a poor rehabilitation outcome. However it is still unclear if a reduction of USN after a specific neurophsycological treatment could also favor the functional recovery., Aim: The first aim of this study was to determine if low responders to neuropsychological treatment of unilateral spatial neglect may have a worse functional prognosis for activities of daily living. The second aim was to investigate which variables can predict a low response to neuropsychological treatment., Design: Observational study., Setting: Neurorehabilitation hospital in Italy., Population: Two hundred inpatients with the diagnosis of ischemic stroke were screened in this observational study. Inclusion criteria were: patients in subacute phase of first ischemic stroke in right hemisphere. Exclusion criteria were: presence of previous and/or other disabling pathologies, medical conditions contraindicating physical therapy. Data of 73 patients who performed neurorehabilitation and visual scanning training for reducing USN were analysed, while the remaining others were excluded for at least one of the following reasons: hemorrhagic lesions, presence of other chronic disabling pathologies, contraindications for therapy., Methods: USN was evaluated using: Letter Cancellation Test, Barrage Test, Sentence Reading Test and Wundt-Jastrow Area Illusion Test. Barthel Index (BI), Beck Depression Inventory, and Canadian Neurological Scale were also administered. According to the aim of the study, forward binary logistic regressions were performed to evaluate the effects of different factors on functional recovery., Results: Three factors were identified as predictors of low effectiveness in terms of BI-score: older age (odds ratio OR=9.882, P=0.002), severity of disease at admission (OR=12.594, P=0.002) and being low responders to neuropsychological treatment (OR=3.847, P=0.027). Further, the initial barrage score (OR=3.313, P=0.027) and the initial BI-score (OR=3.252, P=0.039) effectively predict the response to neuropsychological treatment., Conclusion: The outcome of the whole rehabilitation resulted affected by the outcome of neuropsychological treatment in patients with USN, being a low score at Barrage test at the beginning of therapy a negative predictor of USN recovery., Clinical Rehabilitation Impact: Patients with USN after stroke can benefit of a specific training for reducing USN also in terms of functional outcome. Further, the simple use of Barrage test could provide important prognostic information about recovery.

Background: The leap motion controller (LMC) is a new optoelectronic system for capturing motion of both hands and controlling a virtual environment. Differently from previous devices, it optoelectronically tracks the fine movements of fingers neither using glows nor markers., Objective: This pilot study explored the feasibility of adapting the LMC, developed for videogames, to neurorehabilitation of elderly with subacute stroke., Methods: Four elderly patients (71.50 ± 4.51 years old) affected by stroke in subacute phase were enrolled and tested in a cross-over pilot trial in which six sessions of 30 minutes of LMC videogame-based therapy were added on conventional therapy. Measurements involved participation to the sessions, evaluated by means of the Pittsburgh Rehabilitation Participation Scale, hand ability and grasp force evaluated respectively by means of the Abilhand Scale and by means of the dynamometer., Results: Neither adverse effects nor spasticity increments were observed during LMC training. Participation to the sessions was excellent in three patients and very good in one patient during the LMC trial. In this period, patients showed a significantly higher improvement in hand abilities (P = 0.028) and grasp force (P = 0.006)., Conclusions: This feasibility pilot study was the first one using leap motion controller for conducting a videogame-based therapy. This study provided a proof of concept that LMC can be a suitable tool even for elderly patients with subacute stroke. LMC training was in fact performed with a high level of active participation, without adverse effects, and contributed to increase the recovery of hand abilities.

Background: Robotic-assisted walking after stroke provides intensive task-oriented training. But, despite the growing diffusion of robotic devices little information is available about cardiorespiratory and metabolic responses during electromechanically-assisted repetitive walking exercise. Aim of the study was to determine whether use of an end-effector gait training (GT) machine with body weight support (BWS) would affect physiological responses and energy cost of walking (ECW) in subacute post-stroke hemiplegic patients., Participants: six patients (patient group: PG) with hemiplegia due to stroke (age: 66 ± 15y; time since stroke: 8 ± 3 weeks; four men) and 6 healthy subjects as control group (CG: age, 76 ± 7y; six men)., Interventions: overground walking test (OWT) and GT-assisted walking with 0%, 30% and 50% BWS (GT-BWS0%, 30% and 50%)., Main Outcome Measures: heart rate (HR), pulmonary ventilation, oxygen consumption, respiratory exchange ratio (RER) and ECW., Results: Intervention conditions significantly affected parameter values in steady state (HR: p = 0.005, V'E: p = 0.001, V'O2: p < 0.001) and the interaction condition per group affected ECW (p = 0.002). For PG, the most energy (V'O2 and ECW) demanding conditions were OWT and GT-BWS0%. On the contrary, for CG the least demanding condition was OWT. On the GT, increasing BWS produced a decrease in energy and cardiac demand in both groups., Conclusions: In PG, GT-BWS walking resulted in less cardiometabolic demand than overground walking. This suggests that GT-BWS walking training might be safer than overground walking training in subacute stroke patients.

In this paper, we discuss robot-mediated neurorehabilitation as a significant emerging field in clinical medicine. Stroke rehabilitation is advancing toward more integrated processes, using robotics to facilitate this integration. Rehabilitation approaches have tremendous value in reducing long-term impairments in stroke patients during hospitalization and after discharge, of which robotic systems are a new modality that can provide more effective rehabilitation. The function of robotics in rehabilitative interventions has been examined extensively, generating positive yet not completely satisfactory clinical results. This article presents state-of-the-art robotic systems and their prospective function in poststroke rehabilitation of the upper and lower limbs.

Physiological Cost Index (PCI) has been proposed to assess gait demand. The purpose of the study was to establish whether PCI is a valid indicator in subacute stroke patients of energy cost of walking in different walking conditions, that is, over ground and on the Gait Trainer (GT) with body weight support (BWS). The study tested if correlations exist between PCI and ECW, indicating validity of the measure and, by implication, validity of PCI. Six patients (patient group (PG)) with subacute stroke and 6 healthy age- and size-matched subjects as control group (CG) performed, in a random sequence in different days, walking tests overground and on the GT with 0, 30, and 50% BWS. There was a good to excellent correlation between PCI and ECW in the observed walking conditions: in PG Pearson correlation was 0.919 (p < 0.001); in CG Pearson correlation was 0.852 (p < 0.001). In conclusion, the high significant correlations between PCI and ECW, in all the observed walking conditions, suggest that PCI is a valid outcome measure in subacute stroke patients.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive technique that could improve the rehabilitation outcomes in stroke, eliciting neuroplastic mechanisms. At the same time conflicting results have been reported in subacute phase of stroke, when neuroplasticity is crucial. The aim of this double-blind, randomized, and sham-controlled study was to determine whether a treatment with cathodal tDCS before the rehabilitative training might augment the final outcomes (upper limb function, hand dexterity and manual force, locomotion, and activities of daily living) in respect of a traditional rehabilitation for a sample of patients affected by ischemic stroke in the subacute phase. An experimental group (cathodal tDCS plus rehabilitation) and a control group (sham tDCS plus rehabilitation) were assessed at the beginning of the protocol, after 10 days of stimulation, after 30 days from ending of stimulation, and at the end of inpatient rehabilitation. Both groups showed significant improvements for all the assessed domains during the rehabilitation, except for the manual force, while no significant differences were demonstrated between groups. These results seem to indicate that the cathodal tDCS, provided in an early phase of stroke, does not lead to a functional improvement. To depict a more comprehensive scenario, further studies are needed.

The video game-based therapy emerged as a potential valid tool in improving balance in several neurological conditions with controversial results, whereas little information is available regarding the use of this therapy in subacute stroke patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of balance training using video game-based intervention on functional balance and disability in individuals with hemiparesis due to stroke in subacute phase. Fifty adult stroke patients participated to the study: 25 subjects were randomly assigned to balance training with Wii Fit, and the other 25 subjects were assigned to usual balance therapy. Both groups were also treated with conventional physical therapy (40 min 2 times/day). The main outcome was functional balance (Berg Balance Scale-BBS), and secondary outcomes were disability (Barthel Index-BI), walking ability (Functional Ambulation Category), and walking speed (10-meters walking test). Wii Fit training was more effective than usual balance therapy in improving balance (BBS: 53 versus 48, P = 0.004) and independency in activity of daily living (BI: 98 versus 93, P = 0.021). A balance training performed with a Wii Fit as an add on to the conventional therapy was found to be more effective than conventional therapy alone in improving balance and reducing disability in patients with subacute stroke.

Purpose: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the motor cortex seems to be effective in improving motor performance in patients with chronic stroke, while some recent findings have reported conflicting results for the subacute phase. We aimed to verify whether upper extremity motor rehabilitation could be enhanced by treatment with tDCS administered before a rehabilitative session., Methods: Hand dexterity and force in 16 individuals with subacute stroke were assessed before (T0) and after anodal stimulation (T1) and after a successive session of motor rehabilitation (T2) in a double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled, crossover trial. To confirm the value of the device as a specific effector, behavioral tests were also administered., Results: Anodal and sham stimulation plus rehabilitation significantly improved manual dexterity (repeated-measure Anova: A-tDCS: p = 0.005; S-tDCS: p = 0.042). Post hoc analysis revealed a significant stimulation effect only for A-tDCS (p = 0.013 between T0 and T1) and not for S-tDCS, whereas the rehabilitation effect (between T1 and T2) was not significant in either group. Hand force and behavioral features were unchanged., Conclusions: Anodal brain stimulation improves hand dexterity but does not increase the effectiveness of the rehabilitation directly. These results suggest the presence of aftereffects, not priming effects, of A-tDCS superimposed onto motor learning phenomena.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the rehabilitation outcomes with robotic-aided gait therapy may be affected by patients' and caregivers' psychologic features after subacute stroke., Design: This is a controlled, longitudinal, observational pilot study conducted on 42 patients divided in robotic-assisted gait training plus conventional physical therapy group, robotic-assisted gait training dropout group, and conventional physical therapy group. The outcome measures were walking ability (Functional Ambulation Category) and independency in activities of daily living (Barthel Index) measured before and after intervention. Psychologic features were measured before intervention using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, and recovery locus of control in the patients and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory in the caregivers., Results: Patient anxiety was significantly higher in those who refused/abandoned robotic therapy (P = 0.002). In the subjects allocated to the robotic group, the recovery of walking ability was significantly affected by the perceived recovery locus of control (P = 0.039, odds ratio = 14); and the recovery of independency in activities of daily living, by anxiety (P = 0.018, odds ratio = 0.042). Conversely, psychologic factors did not significantly affect the outcomes of conventional rehabilitation., Conclusions: Psychologic features, particularly recovery locus of control and anxiety, affected the rehabilitative outcomes of the patients involved in robotic treatment more than those in conventional rehabilitation.

Background: Bilateral transfer, i.e. the capacity to transfer from one to the other hand a learned motor skill, may help the recovery of upper limb functions after stroke., Aim: To investigate the motor strategies at the basis of sensorimotor learning involved in bilateral transfer., Design: Randomized controlled trial., Setting: Neurorehabilitation Hospital., Population: Eighty right-handed participants (65 ± 13 years old): 40 patients with subacute stroke, 40 control healthy subjects., Methods: Subjects performed the 9 hole-peg-test twice in an order defined by random allocation: first with low and then with high skilled hand (LS-HS) or the reverse (HS-LS). Time spent to complete the test and filling sequence were recorded, together with maximum pinch force (assessed using a dynamometer), upper limb functioning (Motricity Index), spasticity (modified Ashworth Scale), limb dominance (Edinburgh Handeness Inventory)., Results: As expected, in patients, the performance was found related to the residual pinch force (P<0.001), upper limb motricity (P=0.006) and side of hemiparesis (P=0.016). The performances of all subjects improved more in HS-LS than in LS-HS subgroups (P=0.043). The strategy adopted in the first trial influenced the velocity in the second one (P=0.030)., Conclusion: Bilateral transfer was observed from high to low skilled hand. Learning was not due to a mere sequence repetition, but on a strategy chosen on the basis of the previous performance., Clinical Rehabilitation Impact: The affected hand of patients with subacute stroke may benefit from sensorimotor learning occurred with the un-affected hand.

Background: Constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) is a rehabilitation approach for arm paresis consisting of an intensive schedule of treatment (6 h/d). The high demand of resources for CIMT is a critical issue for its implementation in the Italian health system., Objective: To compare the effects of a reduced-intensity modified CIMT (mCIMT) program that included splinting the unaffected arm for 12 hours daily with the effects of a conventional rehabilitation program for arm paresis in patients with stroke., Methods: Sixty-six participants with hemiparesis (3-24 months poststroke) who could extend the wrist and several fingers at least 10° were randomly assigned to mCIMT or conventional rehabilitation. Each group underwent 10 (2 h/d) treatment sessions (5 d/wk for 2 weeks). Patients were assessed with the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT-FA and WMFT-T), the Motor Activity Log (MAL-AOU and MAL-QOM), and the Ashworth Scale before and after treatment and 3 months later., Results: Between-groups analysis showed that the mCIMT group overall had greater improvement than the control group in terms of the WMFT-FA (P = .010), MAL-AOU (P < .001), and MAL-QOM (P < .001). Differences between groups were significant both after treatment (P < .01) and at the 3-month follow-up (P < .01), although 40% of participants did not complete the 3-month assessment. Furthermore, the mCIMT group showed a greater decrease of Ashworth Scale score than the control group at 3 months (P = .021)., Conclusion: Two hours of CIMT may be more effective than conventional rehabilitation in improving motor function and use of the paretic arm in patients with chronic stroke.

Background: Participation in inpatients is commonly considered as a relevant factor influencing rehabilitation results, but its effects are still not exhaustively investigated., Aim: To clarify and quantify the impact of level of participation in rehabilitation on functional outcome in inpatients., Design: Prospective, observational multivariate study., Settings: Rehabilitation hospital., Population: Three hundred and sixty-two patients (mean age 59.41±12.85 years) with stroke or orthopedic diseases consecutively admitted to rehabilitation hospital., Methods: Rehabilitation program participation was assessed by means of Pittsburgh Rehabilitation Participation Scale (PRPS). Patients who scored below 4 in 25% of the physical and occupational therapy treatment were classified as "low" participants. Multiple and logistic regressions were performed to identify variables associated not only with participation but also with rehabilitation results., Results: Nearly one third of patients (33.88%, primarily stroke) showed low participation. Low early participation (within the first two weeks) was associated with disability and depressive symptoms at admission, and late participation with early participation, age and years of schooling. Both early and late participation were associated with effectiveness of treatment on both ADL and mobility, even if there was much unexplained variance in both models. Patients with low early participation had a greater risk (OR=2.45, 95% CI 1.27-4.71) of a low response to treatment on mobility than the patients who had participated more. Among other prognostic factors, early start of rehabilitation treatment and the presence of cognitive and neuropsychological impairments have significant roles., Conclusions: Our results confirm the importance of participation in rehabilitation programs, which should be encouraged. Further studies are needed to improve knowledge about the overall effects of participation., Clinical Rehabilitation Impact: Early participation should be considered a treatment target as well as a prognostic factor.

Background and Purpose: Robotic-assisted walking training after stroke aims to enhance the odd of regaining independent gait. Recent studies have suggested that this approach is more effective than conventional therapy alone only in severely affected patients. We determined whether these results persist at long-term follow-up., Methods: Forty-eight nonambulant participants after subacute stroke were stratified by motricity index into high (<29) and low (≥29) motor impairment groups. Each arm was randomized to a robotic or control group at a mean of 20 days after stroke. All patients underwent 2 therapy sessions per day, 5 days per week, for 3 months. Robotic group subjects underwent 20 sessions of robotic-assisted gait training in the first 4 weeks of inpatient therapy and abbreviated conventional therapy, whereas control group patients received only conventional gait training. The primary outcome was Functional Ambulation Category, and secondary measures were the Rivermead Mobility Index and Barthel Index scores. The scales were administered before and after the inpatient stay and 2 years after discharge., Results: At follow-up, as at discharge, the low motricity robotic group improved more than the control group counterpart with regard to functional ambulation category (4.7±0.5 versus 3.1±1.5, P=0.002), Barthel Index (76.9±11.5 versus 64.7±14.0, P=0.024), and Rivermead Mobility Index (11.8±3.5 versus 7.0±3.6, P=0.010), whereas conventional and robotic therapies were equally effective in the high motricity groups., Conclusions: The higher efficacy of the combination of robotic therapy and conventional therapy versus conventional therapy alone that was observed at discharge only in patients with greater motor impairments was sustained after 2 years.

The analysis of upper-body acceleration is a promising and simple technique to quantitatively assess dynamic gait stability. However, this method has rarely been used for people with stroke, probably because of some technical issues still not addressed. We evaluated the root-mean-square (RMS) and harmonic ratio of trunk accelerations for a group of 15 inpatients with subacute stroke who were able to walk (61.4 +/- 14.9 yr) and compared them with those of an age-matched group of nondisabled subjects (65.1 +/- 8.8 yr) and those of a highly functional group of young nondisabled subjects (29.0 +/- 5.0 yr). Small (<2%) but significant (p < 0.03) differences were found in RMS values obtained by applying the two most common computational approaches: (1) averaging among individual-stride RMS values and (2) computing the RMS value over the entire walking trial without stride partitioning. We found that the intersubject dependency of acceleration RMS values by selected walking speed was specific for each group and for each of the three body axes. The analysis of ratios between these three accelerations provided informative outcomes correlated with clinical scores and not affected by walking speed. Our findings are an important step toward transferring accelerometry from human movement analysis laboratories to clinical settings.

This document provides a review of the techniques and therapies used in gait rehabilitation after stroke. It also examines the possible benefits of including assistive robotic devices and brain-computer interfaces in this field, according to a top-down approach, in which rehabilitation is driven by neural plasticity.The methods reviewed comprise classical gait rehabilitation techniques (neurophysiological and motor learning approaches), functional electrical stimulation (FES), robotic devices, and brain-computer interfaces (BCI).From the analysis of these approaches, we can draw the following conclusions. Regarding classical rehabilitation techniques, there is insufficient evidence to state that a particular approach is more effective in promoting gait recovery than other. Combination of different rehabilitation strategies seems to be more effective than over-ground gait training alone. Robotic devices need further research to show their suitability for walking training and their effects on over-ground gait. The use of FES combined with different walking retraining strategies has shown to result in improvements in hemiplegic gait. Reports on non-invasive BCIs for stroke recovery are limited to the rehabilitation of upper limbs; however, some works suggest that there might be a common mechanism which influences upper and lower limb recovery simultaneously, independently of the limb chosen for the rehabilitation therapy. Functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) enables researchers to detect signals from specific regions of the cortex during performance of motor activities for the development of future BCIs. Future research would make possible to analyze the impact of rehabilitation on brain plasticity, in order to adapt treatment resources to meet the needs of each patient and to optimize the recovery process.

Background: Robotic-assisted walking training after stroke aims to enable highly impaired patients to walk independently, but results have been mixed., Objective: The authors aimed to identify the characteristics of patients who may be most likely to benefit., Methods: A total of 48 participants with motor and gait dysfunction following subacute stroke were stratified by the motricity index into high (<29) and low (≥ 29) motor impairment groups. Each arm was randomized to a robotic or control group (RG or CG) at a mean of 20 days after stroke. All patients underwent 2 therapy sessions per day, 5 days per week for 3 months. Those in the RG underwent 20 sessions of robotic-assisted gait training in the first 4 weeks of inpatient therapy using controlled endpoint trajectories and abbreviated conventional therapy, whereas the CG received only conventional gait training. The primary outcome was the functional ambulation category (FAC), and secondary measures were the Rivermead mobility index (RMI) and 6-minute walking distance, all evaluated at hospital admission and at discharge., Results: The lower motricity group assigned to an electromechanical device significantly improved in the FAC (P < .001), RMI (P = .001), and walking distance (P = .029). Conventional and robotic therapies were equivalent in the higher motricity arm., Conclusion: Robotic therapy combined with conventional therapy may be more effective than conventional therapy alone in patients with greater motor impairment during inpatient stroke rehabilitation.

Electromechanically assisted gait training is a promising task-oriented approach for gait restoration, especially for people with subacute stroke. However, few guidelines are available for selecting the parameter values of the electromechanical Gait Trainer (GT) (Reha-Stim; Berlin, Germany) and none is tailored to a patient's motor capacity. We assessed 342 GT sessions performed by 20 people with stroke who were stratified by Functional Ambulatory Category. In the first GT session of all patients, the body-weight support (BWS) required was higher than that reported in the literature. In further sessions, we noted a slow reduction of BWS and a fast increment of walking speed for the most-affected patients. Inverse trends were observed for the less-affected patients. In all the patients, the heart rate increment was about 20 beats per minute, even for sessions in which the number of strides performed was up to 500. In addition, the effective BWS measured during GT sessions was different from that initially selected by the physiotherapist. This difference depended mainly on the position of the GT platforms during selection. Finally, harness acceleration in the anteroposterior direction proved to be higher in patients with stroke than in nondisabled subjects. Our findings are an initial step toward scientifically selecting parameters in electromechanically assisted gait training.

Stroke is the leading cause of long-term disability for adults in industrialized societies. Rehabilitation's efforts are tended to avoid long-term impairments, but, actually, the rehabilitative outcomes are still poor. Novel tools based on new technologies have been developed to improve themotor recovery. In this paper, we have taken into account seven promising technologies that can improve rehabilitation of patients with stroke in the early future: (1) robotic devices for lower and upper limb recovery, (2) brain computer interfaces, (3) noninvasive brain stimulators, (4) neuroprostheses, (5) wearable devices for quantitative humanmovement analysis, (6) virtual reality, and (7) tablet-pc used for neurorehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]