The Brunnstrom Approach follows six proposed stages of sequential motor recovery after a stroke.
A patient can plateau at any of these stages, but will generally follow this sequence if he or she makes a full recovery.
[1][2] The variability found between patients depends on the location and severity of the lesion, and the potential for adaptation.
The Fugl Meyer Assessment of Physical Performance (FMA) is an example of one widely used scale.
[4] The influence of the Brunnstrom Approach on the development of the FMA is most evident within the Motor sub-scale for both the upper and lower extremity where there is a strong emphasis on the evaluation of muscle synergies.