Hanger 2000.

Methods	Parallel group, single centre trial Exp: strapping + routine management (task‐specific re‐education for function, positioning, maintenance of ROM, provision of supportive devices for the arm when mobilising) C: routine management
Participants	Inclusion criteria: within 4 weeks of stroke, no previous shoulder surgery precluding external rotation, unable to abduct shoulder to 90 degrees and hold for 2 seconds (upper arm function equivalent to a score of less than 4 on Item 6 of Motor Assessment Scale) Age (mean): Exp/C = 79/78 years Time after stroke (mean): Exp/C = 12/12 days Number of participants: Exp/C = 49/49 Male/Female = 39/59 Right/Left hemiplegia = 51/47 Dropouts: Exp/C = 8/7
Interventions	Strapping: three strapping and three under strapping tapes were used. The arm was supported under the elbow. First two tapes were applied longitudinally using a lifting action. One tape started from the front of the elbow and went up across the top of the shoulder and terminated past the spine of the scapula. The other tape started from the back of the elbow and went up across the top of the shoulder and terminated past the clavicle. These two tapes crossed at the top of the shoulder. The third tape was applied horizontally from the medial third of the clavicle around the surgical neck of the humerus and along the spine of the scapula to its medial third. Strapping was left on day and night and changed every two or three days. Duration of intervention: six weeks.
Outcomes	Pain: pain over previous 24 hours on 10 cm vertical VAS (cm) Contracture: pain free passive shoulder external rotation (degrees) Function: summation of Items 6, 7, 8 (out of 18) of the Motor Assessment Scale (Carr 1985)
Notes	Data for forest plots taken from unpublished data supplied by the author Note that there are different numbers of participants at the post‐intervention measurements due to missing data
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Allocation concealment?	Low risk	A ‐ Adequate