title: Stroke rehabilitation in Europe: what do physiotherapists and occupational therapists actually do?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Physiotherapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) are key components of stroke rehabilitation. Little is known about their content. This study aimed to define and compare the content of PT and OT for stroke patients between 4 European rehabilitation centers.
  
  
  METHODS
  In each center, 15 individual PT and 15 OT sessions of patients fitting predetermined criteria were videotaped. The content was recorded using a list comprising 12 therapeutic categories. A generalized estimating equation model was fitted to the relative frequency of each category resulting in odds ratios.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparison of PT and OT between centers revealed significant differences for only 2 of the 12 categories: ambulatory exercises and selective movements. Comparison of the 2 therapeutic disciplines on the pooled data of the 4 centers revealed that ambulatory exercises, transfers, exercises, and balance in standing and lying occurred significantly more often in PT sessions. Activities of daily living, domestic activities, leisure activities, and sensory, perceptual training, and cognition occurred significantly more often in OT sessions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study revealed that the content of each therapeutic discipline was consistent between the 4 centers. PT and OT proved to be distinct professions with clear demarcation of roles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. Liesbet.Dewit@faber.kuleuven.be
authors.forename: Liesbet
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Wit
authors.forename: Koen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Putman
authors.forename: Nadina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lincoln
authors.forename: Ilse
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Baert
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Berman
authors.forename: Hilde
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Beyens
authors.forename: Kris
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bogaerts
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Brinkmann
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Connell
authors.forename: Eddy
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dejaeger
authors.forename: Willy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: De Weerdt
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jenni
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lesaffre
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leys
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Louckx
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schuback
authors.forename: Wilfried
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schupp
authors.forename: Bozena
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Hilde
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Feys
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation