Rehabilitation of Motor Control following Stroke: Searching the Evidence

Abstract

Evidence-based practice is becoming an increasingly important issue and occupational therapists are frequently reminded that they must search the literature to find evidence to support their interventions. However, in many areas of practice this evidence is simply not available to be found. An example of this is in the remediation of motor control following stroke. As new ideas about motor control have emerged, some occupational therapists have expressed concern about the approaches that are currently used, in relation to their efficacy and their appropriateness.

This article considers the meaning of evidence-based practice and the advantages and difficulties that it presents. The literature is then reviewed to consider evidence for traditional and contemporary approaches to motor control by occupational therapists. The disturbing lack of evidence for traditional approaches and the limited amount of evidence for new approaches are discussed. Recent studies of current practice are then explored, revealing that many occupational therapists are continuing to use approaches for which there is no supporting evidence.

The article concludes with the suggestion that, rather than asking occupational therapists to search for evidence that does not exist, they should be encouraged to produce the evidence by being involved in research studies that seek to demonstrate the efficacy of different approaches.