Trial reportTrials2014
Feasibility of a randomized controlled trial of functional strength training for people between six months and five years after stroke: FeSTivaLS trial.
Trial report in Trials, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Physical rehabilitation approaches for the recovery of function and mobility following stroke.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2025Pooled it
- Strengths, limitations, and way forward of home-based rehabilitation practices after stroke: a scoping review.BMC health services research · 2026Article
- Technology-Dependent Rehabilitation Involving Action Observation and Movement Imagery for Adults with Stroke: Can It Work? Feasibility of Self-Led Therapy for Upper Limb Rehabilitation after Stroke.Stroke research and treatment · 2022Article
- Sensory Stimulation of the Foot and Ankle Early Post-stroke: A Pilot and Feasibility Study.Frontiers in neurology · 2021Article
- Upper limb strength training in subacute stroke patients: study protocol of a randomised controlled trial.Trials · 2019Article
- Eligibility Screening for an Early Upper Limb Stroke Rehabilitation Study.Frontiers in neurology · 2019Article
- Functional Strength Training and Movement Performance Therapy for Upper Limb Recovery Early Poststroke-Efficacy, Neural Correlates, Predictive Markers, and Cost-Effectiveness: FAST-INdiCATE Trial.Frontiers in neurology · 2017Article
- Using the TIDieR Checklist to Standardize the Description of a Functional Strength Training Intervention for the Upper Limb After Stroke.Journal of neurologic physical therapy : JNPT · 2016Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
11 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundFunctional Strength Training (FST) could enhance recovery late after stroke. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of a subsequent fully powered, randomized controlled trial.
methodsThe study was designed as a randomized, observer-blind trial. Both interventions were provided for up to one hour a day, four days a week, for six weeks. Evaluation points were before randomization (baseline), after six weeks intervention (outcome), and six weeks thereafter (follow-up). The study took place in participants' own homes. Participants (n = 52) were a mean of 24.4 months after stroke with a mean age of 68.3 years with 67.3% male. All had difficulty using their paretic upper (UL) and lower limb (LL). Participants were allocated to FST-UL or FST-LL by an independent randomization service. The outcome measures were recruitment rate, attrition rate, practicality of recruitment strategies, occurrence of adverse reactions, acceptability of FST, and estimation of sample size for a subsequent trial. Primary clinical efficacy outcomes were the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) and the Functional Ambulation Categories (FAC). Analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis of participants' views of FST. A power calculation used estimates of clinical efficacy variance to estimate sample size for a subsequent trial.
resultsThe screening process identified 1,127 stroke survivors of whom 52 (4.6%) were recruited. The recruitment rate was higher for referral from community therapists than for systematic identification of people discharged from an acute stroke unit. The attrition rate was 15.5% at the outcome and follow-up time-points. None of the participants experienced an adverse reaction. The participants who remained in the study at outcome had received 68% of the total possible amount of therapy. Participants reported that their experience of FST provided a sense of purpose and involvement and increased their confidence in performing activities. The power calculation provides estimation that 150 participants in each group will be required for a subsequent clinical trial.
conclusionsThis study found that a subsequent clinical trial was feasible with modifications to the recruitment strategy to be used.
trial registrationControlled-trials.com ISCTN71632550, 30 January 2009.
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