Guidelines emphasize importance of emotional well-being after stroke and encourage early initiation of rehab
FRIDAY, Sept. 4, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Updated recommendations are presented for adult stroke rehabilitation and recovery in a guideline issued by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association and published online Aug. 27 in Stroke.
Lorie G. Richards, Ph.D., from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, and colleagues conducted a comprehensive literature search between June and October 2025 to identify literature published since the 2016 Guidelines for Adult Stroke Rehabilitation and Recovery in order to update recommendations.
The guidelines provide recommendations for stroke rehabilitation and recovery, based on current evidence. These new and revised recommendations are updated across the stroke recovery continuum, including assessment and treatment of medical comorbidities, fracture risk, prevention of falls, technology-enabled rehabilitation, support for caregivers, participation in rehabilitation, and safe return to work and driving. The guideline also emphasizes the importance of emotional well-being in recovery after stroke, including recommendations for regular screening for depression, anxiety, and other mental health concerns. Rehabilitation is recommended to start in the hospital, as soon as the patient is medically stable and ideally within 48 hours of stroke; early initiation of rehabilitation therapy is associated with improved outcomes. For effective rehabilitation, a coordinated multidisciplinary care team is needed. Stroke recovery can be ongoing over months to years and may require periodic reassessment of goals and progress.
“Stroke rehabilitation is complicated. A stroke can affect many of the skills people rely on for daily living, and even the most routine activities involve multiple physical, cognitive, and communication abilities working together,” Richards said in a statement. “Developing rehabilitation guidelines is equally complex because every stroke is unique. Each person faces a different set of challenges.”
Several members of the writing group and peer review committee disclosed conflicts of interest with industry.
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