Oxford University Press, Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Journal, 1(94), p. 9-13, 2014
DOI: 10.2522/ptj.20120331
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highlights the findings and application of Cochrane reviews and other evidence pertinent to the practice of physical therapy. The Cochrane Library is a respected source of reliable evidence related to health care. Cochrane systematic reviews explore the evidence for and against the effectiveness and appropriateness of interventions-medications, surgery, education, nutrition, exercise-and the evidence for and against the use of diagnostic tests for specific conditions.This article focuses on physical fitness interventions for individuals with stroke. This population is at higher risk for sustaining recurrent stroke, as they commonly present with cardiovascular co-morbidities and risk factors, as well as mobility limitations that contribute to sedentary behaviors. Addressing the decline in fitness after stroke is an important consideration for physical therapists working with individuals with stroke. This article summarizes the results of the Cochrane review "Physical fitness training after stroke" by Brazzelli and colleagues (2011), and presents a clinical scenario, based on a real patient, to illustrate how the results from this systematic review can be used to directly inform clinical decisions in physical therapy.