Amount and Content of Sensorimotor Therapy Delivered in Three Stroke Rehabilitation Units in Quebec, Canada

Abstract

Purpose: This study creates a baseline clinical portrait of sensorimotor rehabilitation in three stroke rehabilitation units (SRUs) as a first step in implementing a multi-centre clinical research platform. Method: Participants in this cross-sectional, descriptive study were the patients and rehabilitation teams in these SRUs. Prospective (recording of therapy time and content and a Web-based questionnaire) and retrospective (chart audit) methods were combined to characterize the practice of the rehabilitation professionals. Results: The 24- to 39-bed SRUs admitted 100–240 inpatients in the year audited. The mean combined duration of individual occupational and physical therapy was 6.3–7.5 hours/week/patient. When evening hours and the contributions of other professionals as well as group therapy and self-practice were included, the total amount of therapy was 13.0 (SD 3) hours/patient/week. Chart audit and questionnaire data revealed the Berg Balance Scale was the most often used outcome measure (98%–100%), and other outcome measure use varied. Clinicians favoured task-oriented therapy (35%–100%), and constraint-induced movement therapy (0%–15%), electrical stimulation of the tibialis anterior (0%–15%), and body weight–supported treadmill training (0%–1%) were less often used. Conclusions: This study is the first to provide objective data on therapy time and content of stroke rehabilitation in Quebec SRUs.