Little therapy, little physical activity: Rehabilitation within the first 14 days of organized stroke unit care

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine rehabilitation interventions and resulting physical activity patterns of patients managed in acute stroke units to help inform development of a randomized controlled trial of very early rehabilitation. DESIGN: An open observational study of patient activity and therapist report of patient interventions. A survey of stroke unit resources. METHODS: Patients less than 14 days post-stroke from 5 metropolitan stroke units were observed over 2 consecutive weekdays at 10-minute intervals between 08.00 h and 17.00 h. Physical activity, location and person(s) present were ascertained at each observation. Therapists completed treatment records. Senior staff completed stroke unit ..