The rehabilitation method used in the present study
was based on the 2004 Japanese Guidelines for the
Management of Stroke. Specifically, the guidelines
recommend that rehabilitation by a physical therapist
(PT) occurs for 20 minutes/day and that sitting is
started several days after stroke onset, and progresses
to training for standing and moving in a wheelchair
when patients have no impaired consciousness.
Range-of-motion training for the limbs is performed
when patients are lying on the bed. When restrictions
on range-of-motion occur, additional training is performed
by a nurse.