Methodological considerations for kinematic analysis of upper limbs in healthy and poststroke adults. Part I: A systematic review of sampling and motor tasks.

Most of the recommended demographic and stroke information, such as some preexisting conditions to stroke, initial stroke severity, and stroke location, were not collected by all or most of the articles. Time poststroke onset was presented in all articles but showed great variability. Few articles identified anthropometric characteristics and adjusted task environment to them. Most of the samples were composed mainly by males and had a low mean age, which does not represent poststroke population. Most articles analyzed "functional movements", namely simulations of ADL. Implication of key findings: Future research should identify the recommended information to allow an adequate stratification. Acute phase after stroke, real ADL with different complexities, and ipsilesional UL should be studied.