Foreword.

Current stroke rehabilitation practices have been both benefited and limited by a heavy reliance on past practices. Much of our current understanding and practice are rooted in tradition, which gives them the advantage of being time-tested, "tried and true," and accepted as the standard of practice. However, unwavering and unquestioning dependence on clinical activities that have failed to evolve or that have not been adapted to the present situation and level of knowledge causes stagnation, mediocrity, and inadequate service to our patients. Particularly in light of exciting recent revelations in engineering and neuroscience, it is incumbent upon all of us in clinical stroke care and rehabilitation research to approach our practices and our existing level of understanding with a sense of inquiry and skepticism, a drive to improve current techniques, and a …