Study	Reason for exclusion
Asberg 1989	Quasi‐randomised
Chu 2003	Timing not stated
Di Lauro 2003	No time difference between groups
Duan 2006	Timing not stated, additional psychotherapy and cognitive therapy
Gong 2003	Timing not stated, non randomised
Gu 2006	Timing not stated
Guan 2001	Timing not stated, confounded by additional psychotherapy and swallowing therapy
Hamrin 1982	Confounded by rehabilitation package (a large number of components of stroke unit care versus none), pseudo‐RCT
Huang 2001	Timing not stated
Huang 2003	Therapy was started <1 day (ischaemic) or < 3 days (haemorrhagic) Both types of patients were analysed together as a group Contact attempted to further elaborate this study ‐ this was unsuccessful
Kreisel 2005	No time difference of therapy between groups
Li 2003	Timing not stated
Li 2004	Timing not stated
Lin 2005	Timing not stated, confounded by additional psychotherapy, cognitive therapy
Liu 2004	No control < 48 hours, confounded by additional functional electrical stimulation
Pan 2004	Timing not stated
Qian 2003	Timing not stated
Qian 2004	Timing not stated
Raicevic 2000	Timing not stated Possibly passive therapies ‐ not mobilisation
Song 2005	Timing not stated
Truscott 1974	Not an RCT (observational)
Wang 2006	Timing not stated
Xi 2003	Quasi‐randomised, uncertain when out of bed
Xiao 2004	Timing not stated
Xue 2004	Intervention was the earlier delivery of a rehabilitation package that included mobilisation and other therapies considered to potentially confound the results (speech therapy, swallowing therapy, psychological therapy including anti‐depressants)
Zeng 2004	Confounded by Chinese medicine, timing uncertain, quasi‐randomised
Zhang 1998	Timing not stated
Zhao 2003	Uncertain timing: 'as soon as state of illness was stable'

RCT: randomised controlled trial