ROLE OF PHYSIOTHERAPY IN POST-STROKE REHABILITATION

Abstract

Background:-

Stroke is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide and commonly results in impaired motor function, balance, gait, and reduced independence. Physiotherapy is a cornerstone of stroke rehabilitation, aiming to restore functional ability and improve patients' quality of life.

Objective: To systematically review the effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions in improving motor function, gait, upper limb recovery, and long term outcomes in patients with stroke.

Methods: A systematic review of studies published between 2010 and 2025 was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library. Randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, and meta analyses evaluating physiotherapy interventions in adult patients with acute and subacute stroke were included. Data from the selected studies were synthesized to evaluate the effectiveness of different rehabilitation approaches.

Results: The reviewed evidence indicates that early and intensive physiotherapy significantly improves motor recovery, balance, gait, and functional independence following stroke. Task oriented training, muscle strengthening, balance exercises, and early mobilization consistently demonstrated positive outcomes. Emerging interventions, including virtual reality and robot assisted rehabilitation, showed comparable effectiveness to conventional physiotherapy. Although minor adverse effects such as fatigue and muscle soreness were reported, individualized and supervised rehabilitation programs were found to be safe and effective.

Conclusion: Physiotherapy plays a fundamental role in post stroke rehabilitation by enhancing functional recovery, mobility, and independence. Early initiation and continued rehabilitation provide the greatest benefits. A multidisciplinary rehabilitation approach is recommended to optimize patient outcomes. Further high quality studies are needed to identify the most effective rehabilitation protocols and evaluate long term outcomes.