In this study; we aimed to compare the efficacy of functional and clinical parameters between hospital-based rehabilitation programme applied by the physiotherapist and home-based exercise programme in patients with cerebrovascular accident (CVA). A total of twenty patients with CVA (8 women, 12 men; mean age 52.7 +/- 13.3 years) were included in the study. An appropriate rehabilitation programme was applied on 9 patients by physiotherapist in hospital for 4 weeks. The remaining 11 patients were given home exercise programme for 4 weeks. In both groups, the clinical and functional improvements were evaluated by Ashworts Scale, Brunnstrom Grading, Barthel Index and Functional Ambulatory Scale (FAS) before and after 4 weeks of rehabilitation programme. There were no differences between the two groups for age, sex, affected side and underlying etiological pathology. Significant improvements were noted in all parameters (Ashworts Scale, Brunnstrom Grading, Barthel Index and FAS) in hospital-based group (for each, p < 0.05). In the home exercise group, significant improvements were only noted in Brunnstroms grade of lower extremity and Barthel Index scores (for each, p < 0.005). Although, home exercise programme provides some improvements in clinical and functional parameters in the patients with hemiplegia, the rehabilitation programme applied under the supervision of physiatrist in hospital is more effective than the home exercise programme.

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