Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 1, 2026
Determining the Functional Status of the Corticospinal Tract Within One Week of Stroke
Published on: February 22, 2020
Recent highlights in motor recovery and rehabilitation research after stroke
Emily J Dalton1, Natalie A Fini1, Gert Kwakkel2
1Department of Physiotherapy, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
Introduction:
Improving motor functioning is a top priority for clinicians and people living with stroke. This review aimed to identify recent advances in motor recovery and rehabilitation research after stroke and to provide recommendations for future trials.
Methods:
A systematic search of PubMed from 2020 was performed to identify randomised controlled trials (RCTs, n ≥ 100 participants), RCT protocols (projected sample of n ≥ 100) and systematic reviews of RCTs with meta-analysis of upper and/or lower limb motor training in adults with stroke. Together, 118 RCTs, protocols and systematic reviews with meta-analyses were identified. Additional eligible studies published after the systematic search were included from late-breaking trial presentations at 2025 international stroke conferences and authorship team knowledge. Identified evidence was synthesised to inform the development of four themes that were confirmed through multiple online meetings. Each theme was narratively discussed and recommendations to advance stroke recovery and rehabilitation were subsequently presented.
Findings:
Four themes were established: motor training provides the foundation; mode is a tool to support the delivery of motor training; motor training may be improved with adjuvants; and motor trials need a defined measurement strategy. These themes highlight the integral role of high-quality motor training to stroke recovery and rehabilitation trial conduct. Five recommendations to drive continued advances in stroke motor recovery and rehabilitation were developed. It is recommended that researchers: deliver motor training that adheres to evidence-informed parameters of motor training; consider the use of delivery mode as a tool to support higher dose motor training; always pair an adjuvant with evidence-informed motor training; select or subgroup participants enrolled in trials according to potentially modifying characteristics such as severity and time since stroke; and match measurement strategies to the research question, main effect of interest, clinical trial phase, patient population tested and intervention delivered.
