Objectives To evaluate the feasibility of an additional therapeutic upper limb exercise (ULE) intervention in early phase post‐stroke rehabilitation and to assess outcomes of therapy using the Armeo Spring (ARMEO) versus Therapist‐assisted Table Top (TAT) interventions. Design Randomized, single‐blind trial. Setting Stroke acute inpatient rehabilitation unit. Participants Forty‐five participants early after first stroke, Fugl‐Meyer Assessment (FMA) score >8, Modified Ashworth score (MAS) of <3. Interventions Participants were randomized to TAT or ARMEO ULE in addition to the required 3 hours of 1:1 standard of care provided in an inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF). Main Outcome Measures Completed number of treatments; withdrawals; serious/adverse events; Functional Independence Measure (FIM) motor; FIM efficiency; FMA; MAS; elbow active (A) and passive (P) range of motion (ROM); and therapist effort measured by the Modified Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale (RPE). Results Post‐intervention FIM and FMA scores increased but did not demonstrate any statistically significant differences between the intervention groups (P = .585, .962, partial n2 = .001, .001, respectively). There were no statistically significant differences in post‐intervention MAS elbow flexion and extension (P = .332, .252, partial n2 = .009, .007, respectively) and A/P ROM elbow extension between training groups (P = .841, .731, partial n2 = .001, .003, respectively). There was a statistically significant difference in post‐intervention A/P ROM elbow flexion between groups (P = .031, .018, partial n2 = .123, .146). Post‐intervention RPE did not show any statistically significant differences between the training groups (P = .128, partial n2 = .063). Total elbow range showed larger adjusted mean gains for the ARMEO. No serious adverse events were reported. Conclusions This study demonstrates that additional therapeutic ULE in the early phase of post‐stroke inpatient rehabilitation is feasible and that both interventions showed positive changes in selected outcomes.

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