Cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs) are the leading cause of disability. Optimal functional recovery is the ultimate aim of neurorehabilitation after stroke. The unique contribution of physiotherapy to the rehabilitation of individuals following stroke is the training of motor control based on a contemporary understanding of impairments and secondary adaptations, biomechanics, motor learning, exercise science and factors that influence brain reorganization after injury.

The purpose of this course is to present guidelines for training critical motor actions after stroke: walking, reaching and manipulation, balancing in sitting and standing, and standing up and sitting down. They are science-based in that we present each set of guidelines with a brief resume of scientific findings relevant to the action, including a description of major biomechanical characteristics, due to impairments and adaptations.  

The mechanisms of impairments and adaptations and their impact on performance, the task-dependence of strength training and conditioning, and a brief overview of the role of physiotherapy in the early care of individuals who have had a stroke, are included in this course.