When someone suffers a stroke, blood flow is interrupted to part of their brain, resulting in damaged brain cells. Each year, more than 50,000 people in Canada have a stroke for the first time. While more than 80% survive, they often suffer damage to their motor skills which can affect things like their ability to walk and talk.

People who have had a stroke may experience better recovery if they follow a short-term physiotherapy program (of less than 12 weeks) as part of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program. The goal of physiotherapy after a stroke is to improve strength, balance, coordination, endurance and flexibility.

This health technology assessment attempted to determine how effective a continual long-term physiotherapy program (of more than 12 weeks) is for people who have had a stroke, if it is cost-effective, and the budget impact of publicly funding continual long-term physiotherapy for recovery from stroke. It also looked at the experiences, preferences, and values of people who have had a stroke.