Recovery and rehabilitation after stroke.

The incidence of stroke is about 1.5 to 2.5 per 1000 population per year. Stroke is among the commonest diagnoses on the list of yearly bed-days in Canadian hospitals. Recovery after stroke is often a lengthy and complex process in which doctors, nurses, therapists and family members are closely involved, yet little information is available about the use of therapy in stroke rehabilitation. This article discusses the mechanisms of recovery, the natural history of recovery of physical and social function, and the role of rehabilitation in treating acute stroke patients.