Bobath therapy is inferior to task-specific training and not superior to other interventions in improving arm activity and arm strength outcomes after stroke: a systematic review

You're so fucking out-of-date that you didn't know that Bobath should have been shitcanned since 2003.

My best therapist supposedly used it but I really think her competence came from her knowledge of anatomy.

Physiotherapy Based on the Bobath Concept for Adults with Post-Stroke Hemiplegia: A Review of Effectiveness Studies 2003 

The latest stupidity here:

Bobath therapy is inferior to task-specific training and not superior to other interventions in improving arm activity and arm strength outcomes after stroke: a systematic review

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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jphys.2022.11.008Get rights and content

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Abstract

Question

What is the effect of Bobath therapy on arm activity and arm strength compared with a dose-matched comparison intervention or no intervention after stroke?

Design

Systematic review of randomised trials with meta-analysis.

Participants

Adults after stroke.

Intervention

Bobath therapy compared with no intervention or other interventions delivered at the same dose as the Bobath therapy.

Outcome measures

Arm activity outcomes and arm strength outcomes. Trial quality was assessed with the PEDro scale.

Results

Thirteen trials were included; all compared Bobath with another intervention, which were categorised as: task-specific training (five trials), arm movements (five trials), robotics (two trials) and mental practice (one trial). The PEDro scale scores ranged from 5 to 8. Pooled data from five trials indicated that Bobath therapy was less effective than task-specific training for improving arm activities (SMD –1.07, 95% CI –1.59 to –0.55). Pooled data from five trials indicated that Bobath therapy was similar to or less effective than arm movements for improving arm activities (SMD –0.18, 95% CI –0.44 to 0.09). One trial indicated that Bobath therapy was less effective than robotics for improving arm activities and one trial indicated similar effects of Bobath therapy and mental practice on arm activities. For strength outcomes, pooled data from two trials indicated a large benefit of task-specific training over Bobath therapy (SMD –1.08); however, this estimate had substantial uncertainty (95% CI –3.17 to 1.01). The pooled data of three trials indicated that Bobath therapy was less effective than task-specific training for improving Fugl-Meyer scores (MD –7.84, 95% CI –12.99 to –2.69). The effects of Bobath therapy relative to other interventions on strength outcomes remained uncertain.

Conclusions

After stroke, Bobath therapy is less effective than task-specific training and robotics in improving arm activity and less effective than task-specific training on the Fugl-Meyer score.

Registration

PROSPERO CRD42021251630.