INTRODUCTION: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive method that modulates neural activities in the brain by delivering low-amplitude current. The objective of this meta-analysis is to review studies that assess the effects of tDCS in conjunction with various rehabilitation interventions for post stroke upper limb rehabilitation to identify the most effective combinations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Searches were conducted till November 2024 on electronic databases (Medline, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Register of Controlled Clinical Trials, and Scopus). We used the PEDro (Physiotherapy Evidence Database) scale to determine methodological quality after conducting a systematic review including randomized controlled trials selected on the basis of inclusion criteria. RESULTS: From six databases, 22 randomized controlled trials with 741 participants were included in this meta-analysis. The overall effect size was 0.3114 (95% CI 0.1108 to 0.5120, p = 0.004), with moderate heterogeneity (I2 34.5%). Among interventions, Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy and Virtual Reality Therapy showed the highest efficacy (effect size for constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT): 0.582, virtual reality (VRT): 0.305). DISCUSSION: Our meta-analysis suggests that combining tDCS with CIMT may improve upper limb function in stroke survivors, showing the most significant effects among the interventions analyzed. While VRT demonstrated a moderate effect size, its confidence intervals crossed zero, indicating no statistically significant benefit. These findings are based on a limited number of studies (three for CIMT and four for VRT) conducted across acute, subacute, and chronic stroke phases. Further trials are needed to confirm these effects separately within specific stroke stages.

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