Post-stroke recovery with physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is an important part of your post-stroke rehabilitation. Techniques such as exercise, massage, skills training and electrical treatment are used to help you heal and recover your movement. The main focus of physiotherapy after your stroke is to help you learn to use both sides of your body again and regain as much strength and movement as possible.

Neurophysiotherapy is a type of physiotherapy designed to treat problems that originate within the brain, and is an important step on the road to recovery.

How can physiotherapy help?

After a stroke, our brains cannot grow new cells to replace the ones that have been damaged, so your recovery depends on your brain’s ability to reorganize its undamaged cells and make up for what has been lost. This is called neuroplasticity.

Where will I have therapy?

If you were admitted to hospital following your stroke, your physiotherapy will begin there with exercises in bed and moving around on the ward. Once you are ready, you should progress to more active sessions in a rehabilitation area or special physiotherapy gym. In some places a specialist community rehabilitation team will support you to continue your recovery at home.

Passive range of motion exercises

Passive range of motion exercises are exercises patients can do themselves with one hand or assistance. Simultaneously the patient may get electrical stimulation to improve the muscle strength and also other functional activities should be encouraged.

Active assisted range of motion exercises

Active assisted range of motion exercises are where the weak limb is helping but cannot perform all of the work on its own. An example would be someone that could only partially lift their arm and a therapist assists them in lifting the arm further. Active assistive range of motion is helpful in strengthening a limb that does not yet have full range of motion. 

Active Range of Motion (AROM) 

This occurs when a person can move a body part on their own without assistance. Many stroke patients with movement on the weak side may not be strong enough to add resistance exercises and may perform active range of exercises. AROM helps promote joint flexibility, strengthening, and increased.

Strengthening or Resistance Training

Stroke rehab exercises often consists of strengthening activities that involve moving a body part against resistance muscular endurance.

Stretching exercises

Spasticity is one of the most common impairment after stroke, stretching exercises will be helpful to reduce the spasticity and lengthen the contracted muscle. Sometimes manual stretching is not enough and a patient may need a splint to help stretch tight joint and muscles.

Strengthening exercises or resistance exercises

Stroke rehab exercises often consists of strengthening activities that involve moving a body part against resistance. There are many types of strengthening exercise equipment including bands, dumbbells, tubing, putty, and exercise machines.

Weight bearing exercises

Weight bearing can help reduce excessive tone brought on by a stroke and strengthen weak muscles. Weight bearing also helps prevent bone loss.

Balance Exercises

Stroke victims often have poor balance. If balance is affected, one of the first things a patient must learn in stroke rehab is the ability to maintain their balance in sitting & standing. Once the patient can stand again, the patient will be trained for walking without fall.

Gross & motor function

Coordination exercises for gross motor skills emphasize fine tuning large muscle movements such as walking, throwing, and moving the limbs in a coordinated manner.

Hand dexterity is important for picking up objects, feeding oneself, buttoning clothes, writing and many other activities. Fine motor exercises can help a patient improve use of the hand.

Physiotherapy post-stroke is one of the most important tools on the road to recovery. However, please consult with your physiotherapist before embarking upon any treatment plan.