A Scoping Review of Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Post-Stroke Rehabilitation

Background and/or Objectives: Ultrasound is increasingly recognized as a valuable bedside tool across multiple medical disciplines, however its applications in post-stroke rehabilitation remain underdefined. This scoping review aims to map the existing literature on ultrasound use in adult stroke rehabilitation, focusing on its clinical applications, benefits, and current limitations.

Design: A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed for English-language studies published in the last 10 years. Eligible studies included those that used ultrasound to assess or guide interventions related to motor recovery, muscle architecture, spasticity, swallowing dysfunction, respiratory function, or other rehabilitative domains in stroke patients.

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Interventions: N/A

Main Outcome Measures: A scoping review of the literature was performed following the PRISMA guidelines using PubMed for English-language studies written in the last 10 years. Three independent blinded researchers screened articles that fit the criteria, and over 30 studies were selected to be included in the review.

Results: Preliminary findings suggest that ultrasound is most commonly used to evaluate muscle thickness, spasticity, diaphragmatic motion, and dysphagia, with early evidence supporting its utility in functional monitoring and individualized care. However, standardized protocols and long-term outcome data are lacking.

Conclusions: These results highlight the need for further research to define ultrasound's role in neurorehabilitation and promote its integration into stroke recovery pathways.