What's New in Stroke Rehabilitation and Recovery: An FAQ on the AHA/ASA Guideline
The AHA and ASA have replaced their 2016 stroke rehabilitation guideline with expanded, evidence-graded recommendations helping clinicians decide on care settings, comorbidity management, and long-term recovery support.
The American Heart Association (AHA) and American Stroke Association (ASA) have published the "2026 Guideline for Adult Stroke Rehabilitation and Recovery" in the journal Stroke, replacing the organizations' 2016 guideline on the same topic. Chaired by Lorie G. Richards, PhD, OTR/L, the writing group drew on a literature search conducted through late 2025 and issued updated or new recommendations spanning acute hospitalization through long-term community reintegration, organizing recovery into 5 stages: hyperacute (0 to 24 hours), acute (1 to 7 days), early subacute (7 days to 3 months), late subacute (3 to 6 months), and chronic (beyond 6 months).