Physical therapy (PT) has to be provided early after stroke with early mobilization. But it seems that during the first days after stroke, intensive training cannot be recommended. The AMOBES study had been designed to assess the effect of early intensive PT provided within the first two weeks, during the 3 first months. The results were not in favour of intensive training (Yelnik et al., Stroke 2017). We report here the results in patients who could have being followed for one year.

Patients have been recruited in this multicentre randomized controlled trial to compare “soft” (20min/day apart from respiratory needs) versus “intensive” PT (idem+45minutes of intensive exercises/day), initiated within the 72 first hours after a first hemispheric stroke. Blind assessment has been made. The primary criterion was the motor control assessed by the Fugl Meyer score at D90. At one year the following secondary criteria were assessed: Fugl Meyer, postural balance (PASS), autonomy (Rankin and FIM), unexpected medical events, length of hospital stay, quality of life (SIS). The study has been registered on clinical trial.gov NCT01520636.

Sixty-one survivors of the 103 included patients could be examined, 40 males, 45 right hemispheric lesions, 47 ischemic lesions, age 63.1±12.1. Number of patients with moderate stroke (NIHSS<8) was higher (25%) than in the initial group (10%). No significant difference between groups was observed (change in Fugl Meyer 36.7 vs. 36.1) but an interesting trend in favour of the experimental group: FIM 78.5 vs. 73.4, length of stay 92.8 vs. 127.6, time to walk 10 meters alone 35.4 vs. 43.2 days.

The result of the initial study seems to be confirmed, but deserves to be qualified according to the initial stroke severity: mild severe stroke might beneficiate from early intensive physical therapy.