The objective of this study was to determine if repetitive task training after stroke improves functional activity by means of a systematic review and meta-analysis of trials comparing repetitive task training with attention control or usual care. 14 trials with 17 intervention-control pairs and 659 participants were included. Results were statistically significant for walking distance; walking speed; sit-to-stand and activities of daily living and of borderline statistical significance for measures of walking ability and global motor function. There were no statistically significant differences for hand/arm functional activity, lower limb functional activity scales, or sitting/standing balance/reach.
Repetitive task training resulted in modest improvement across a range of lower limb outcome measures, but not upper limb outcome measures. Training may be sufficient to have a small impact on activities of daily living. Interventions involving elements of repetition and task training are diverse and difficult to classify: the results presented are specific to trials where both elements are clearly present in the intervention, without major confounding by other potential mechanisms of action.