To Örebro University

Background: Stroke now represents the condition with the highest need for physical rehabilitation worldwide, with only low or moderate-level evidence testing telerehabilitation compared to in-person care. We compared functional ambulation in subacute patients with stroke following telerehabilitation and matched in-person controls with no biopsychosocial differences at baseline.

Methods: We conducted a matched case-control study to compare functional ambulation between individuals with stroke following telerehabilitation and in-person rehabilitation, assessed using the Functional Ambulation Categories (FAC) and the Functional Independence Measure™ (FIM).

Results: The telerehabilitation group (n =38) achieved significantly higher FAC gains (1.5 (1.3) vs 1.0 (1.0)) than the in-person rehabilitation group, with no differences in ambulation efficiency, in individuals: admitted to rehabilitation within 60 days after stroke onset; aged 49.8 (±11.4) years at admission; 55.3% female sex; moderate stroke severity; 42.1% with 'good' motor FIM at baseline; mostly living with sentimental partner (73.7%); with 21.1% holding an university education degree.

Conclusions: The groups showed no significant differences in ambulation efficiency, though the telerehabilitation group achieved higher FAC gains. Our results suggest that home telerehabilitation can be considered a good alternative to in-person rehabilitation when addressing ambulation in patients with moderate stroke severity and whose home situation mostly includes a cohabiting partner.