Background: Although exercise and rehabilitation interventions are considered key strategies for managing sarcopenia, the characteristics and distribution of existing research focusing on stroke patients with sarcopenia have not been comprehensively mapped.
Objectives: This scoping review aimed to systematically map the characteristics of sarcopenia assessment and exercise- and rehabilitation-based interventions in stroke patients with concomitant sarcopenia, and to identify current research trends and evidence gaps.
Design: Scoping review.
Methods: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science from database inception to October 1, 2025. Studies involving adult stroke patients with sarcopenia and examining exercise, rehabilitation, or combined interventions were included. Study selection followed predefined eligibility criteria based on the PCC framework and was conducted according to the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Findings were synthesized using descriptive numerical summaries and narrative synthesis.
Results: Four studies were included, all conducted in Japan and designed as retrospective cohort or cross-sectional observational studies. Three studies evaluated chair-stand–based whole-body resistance exercise added to standard rehabilitation in convalescent rehabilitation settings, while one study examined the combined effects of energy intake and rehabilitation time in acute-care stroke patients. All studies diagnosed sarcopenia using the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 criteria with bioelectrical impedance analysis and handgrip strength assessment. Higher frequencies of chairstand exercise were associated with improvements in sarcopenia status, muscle strength, and functional recovery.
Conclusion: Current evidence on interventions for stroke patients with sarcopenia is limited and largely concentrated on chair-stand–based resistance exercise and combined nutrition–rehabilitation strategies in hospital settings. Future research should include multicenter randomized controlled trials, broader outcome assessments, and studies conducted across diverse healthcare and community rehabilitation settings to establish integrated rehabilitation strategies for stroke patients with concomitant sarcopenia.