StrokEngine is an online resource for the most current information about assessment tools and intervention techniques for stroke rehabilitation. There is information for patients (StrokEngine Family) and clinicians (StrokEngine Assess and StrokEngine Intervention).

Let’s say you want to know more about the Functional Independence Measure (FIM), because it is administered in your facility to all of the patients with a diagnosis of CVA. In StrokEngine Assess, you would click on the FIM and find:

• In-depth review –  purpose, features of the FIM and which patients it should be used with
• Summary table – what the FIM measures, how long it takes to administer, validity, reliability, and more
• The actual FIM assessment tool

Maybe you’re interested in finding some other assessment tools to use. Go ahead and browse the site – they have plenty to choose from, and they come with all of the information listed above and more.

What if you need treatment ideas for your patient? Go to the StrokEngine Intervention part of the site. You’ll find everything from gait to biofeedback to mirror therapy and more. It’s updated regularly and based on reviews of published evidence. Say you’re interested in trying aerobic training with your patient following a stroke because you feel that it might improve his balance. Click on Aerobic Exercise and find:

• Clinician Quick Review – chart the indicates if aerobic exercise had been found in the literature to improve balance (it does!), and the level of evidence (1b – the second highest level!)
• Clinician In-Depth Review – provides more specifics about the evidence
• Best Practices – summary of what the evidence shows

There is even a great section for patients and families within each intervention. These information sheets (i.e., aerobic exercise following stroke) provide the patient with information about the who/what/where/why and how of aerobic exercise after stroke. You can even download a pdf file to print for the patient.

My one complaint about the site, is that they don’t make it easy to get back to the home page from StrokEngine Assess and StrokEngine Intervention. You have to retype the web address into the address bar to get back. With all the great information contained in the site though, I wouldn’t let that stop you from using it!