Kim 2013a.
| Study characteristics | ||
| Methods | RCT | |
| Participants | Recruitment methods were not reported by the study authors Sample size: 27 Inclusion criteria: 1) having a first‐time ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke; 2) over 6 months since onset; 3) able to walk independently more than 10 meters; 4) more than 24 points on the Mini Mental State Examination; 5) fewer than 36 points on the Vividness Motor Imagery Questionnaire‐2 Exclusion criteria: 1) severe cognitive disabilities, such as unilateral neglect, dementia, and depression; 2) severe aphasia Mean (SD) age: action observation training (n = 9): 55.3 (SD 12.1) years; motor imagery training (n = 9): 54.8 (SD 8.8) years; physical training (n = 9): 59.8 (SD 8.9) years Stroke details: ischemic = 17 (action observation training = 5; motor imagery training = 5; physical training = 7). Hemorrhagic = 10 (action observation training = 4; motor imagery training = 4; physical training = 2) Stroke phase: chronic |
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| Interventions | Experimental groups: (EG1): physical training + action observation training; (EG2): physical training + motor imagery training Control group: physical training All participants in this study underwent neurodevelopmental therapy for 30 minutes, twice per day, f5 days per week for a period of 4 weeks, according to the schedule of the institution in which they were hospitalized |
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| Outcomes | Outcomes recorded before and after intervention Walking speed: GaitRite (biomechanical analysis) Dependence on personal assistance: Functional Ambulation Category Functional mobility: Timed Up and Go Test |
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| Notes | ||
| Risk of bias | ||
| Bias | Authors' judgement | Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) | Low risk | Quote: “patients were randomly assigned to select a sealed envelope” |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) | Low risk | Quote: “patients were randomly assigned to select a sealed envelope” |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes | High risk | Quote: “All participants in this study underwent neurodevelopmental therapy” |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes | Unclear risk | Quote: “assessment of outcome measures was performed by two physical therapists” |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes | Low risk | Missed data balanced between groups |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) | Low risk | All expected and pre‐specified outcomes were reported |
| Other bias | Low risk | None detected |