There are few things as life-altering as experiencing a stroke. A stroke damages a person’s brain, causing different types of disabilities and handicaps. For example, difficulty swallowing, problems with balance, difficulty modulating emotions, poor memory, confusion, having trouble controlling the bladder, paralysis, numbness in some parts of the body, and difficulty standing, walking or sitting can ALL be direct results of a stroke.
Are you a stroke victim? Or, has someone you love recently experienced a stroke? If so, be reassured that physiotherapy promotes recovery.
Physiotherapists Help People Regain Independence and Mobility
The Canadian Physiotherapy Association states, “…physiotherapists play a key role in the rehabilitation of people who have had a stroke, helping them return to their highest possible level of physical mobility.” This news is music to the ears of a stroke victim. It is amazing to realize that there is a drug-free treatment that can help those who have had a stroke reclaim their life.
How exactly do physiotherapists assist those who have had a stroke in regaining their independence and self-confidence? By “(assessing) movement difficulties and/or sensory loss that may occur as a result of a stroke. Through movement re-education, the physiotherapist works to retrain mobility and functional activities such as standing up from sitting, walking and using the affected arm,” writes the Canadian Physiotherapy Association.
To help stroke victims regain functionality as soon as possible, physiotherapists usually work on the following with their stroke patients during physiotherapy sessions:
- Strengthening and stabilizing the trunk
- Increasing exercise endurance and tolerance
- Restoring mobility and strength to the weakened arm and leg
- Sensory, gait and balance retraining
When patients put forth their best effort in their physiotherapy program, they often experience great results.
When Should a Stroke Victim Begin Physiotherapy?
Most individuals who are hospitalized because of a stroke will begin receiving treatment from a physiotherapist while still in the hospital. In most cases, the sooner a stroke victim begins receiving physiotherapy, the better. Usually, physiotherapy should commence just 48 hours after the onset of a stroke.
It’s vital that someone who has had a stroke take physiotherapy seriously. To say the least, physiotherapy should be made a priority in a stroke victim’s life. One of the most important things a person who has experienced a stroke should consider while undergoing a physiotherapy program is the fact that recovery from a stroke takes time. Being patient with oneself promotes healing.
Physiotherapy is a time-tested, effective treatment for the disabilities and handicaps caused by a stroke. Unless expressly advised otherwise by a physician, stroke victims should speak to a physiotherapist about pursuing this safe, drug-free therapy.
Have you had a stroke? How has physiotherapy helped you recover?