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Physiotherapy is usually provided in the first months after a stroke; its effectiveness in the chronic phase is uncertain. The authors of this article conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials to evaluate motor and functional recovery outcomes when physiotherapy is provided late after stroke. They identified 15 published studies with a total of 700 patients randomized to an active, conventional lower-extremity physiotherapy intervention, compared with placebo or no intervention, at least 6 months after a stroke.
The meta-analysis of primary outcomes from the studies showed a significant effect of active intervention on short- and long-distance walking tests (weighted mean difference from baseline for both …