Stroke - Symptoms and rehabilitation

Stroke
  According to the World Health Organization (2016), 15 million people suffer stroke worldwide each year. Of these, 5 million die and another 5 million are left permanently disabled.
During a stroke, or Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA), blood supply to certain regions of the brain is limited, leading to cell death. Consequently, certain motor functions of the body are lost. Some of the associated impairments of stroke can however be recovered through physiotherapy, which stimulates other regions of the brain to compensate for what has been lost through a process call neuroplasticity.
As well as gait impairments, stroke can cause the following impairments in the upper limb:

• Subluxation (partial dislocation)
• changes in sensation
• contracture
• swelling
• co-ordination problems
• weakness
• altered muscle power
• changes in muscle tone
• hand dysfunction
• single-sided blindness / single-sided avoidance of use

 (Walker et al., 2016)


 
Physiotherapy management helps to maximise function, minimize impairments, minimize pain and prevent further complications by re-educating your motor control. Starting physiotherapy early is shown to have better outcomes in the long term (Harwood R, Huwez F, Good D., 2011).


At Phyioimpulse we provide the following treatment for your limitations, including:

• Strength training
• Aerobic training  - which has been shown to assist neural function (Mang, Cameron S. et al., 2013)
• Hand-eye coordination training
• Motor-learning training
• Gait (walking pattern) rehabilitation
• Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) re-education
• Caregiver training of home exercises where appropriate

 
At Physioimpulse in Bath, we use standardised evaluations and validated assessment tools to measure your progress and ensure that your goals are realistic, achievable and tailored to your needs*.
 
Unfortunately, outcome potential varies from case to case depending on the severity and region of stroke (CVA) and it is important to understand your prognosis from the offset. At Physioimpulse we make sure to discuss your goals and activities to ensure that you can achieve maximal participation in your daily activities.
 
* N.B.: We are a private OUTPATIENT clinic; we do not have supportive hospital equipment on site such as respiratory aids, walking aids, cranes, harnesses or additional supportive devices you would expect to find in a hospital environment. Our Bath Sports Centre and Phase One clinics are wheelchair accessible; however, please check with your GP and/or consultant that you and/or your care patients are suitable for outpatient rehabilitation before attendance.
 
Ref:

• Harwood R, Huwez F, Good D. (2011). Stroke Care: A practical manual. New York: Oxford.
• Mang, Cameron S. et al. (2013). “Promoting Neuroplasticity for Motor Rehabilitation After Stroke: Considering the Effects of Aerobic Exercise and Genetic Variation on Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor.” Physical Therapy 93.12, 1707–1716. PMC. Web. 15 June 2016.
• Walker, W., Ritchie, L. Lowe, R. Buxton, S. and Hytros, M.. (2016). Stroke. Available: http://www.physio-pedia.com/Stroke. Last accessed 15th June 2016.
• World Health Organization (2016) .Global Burden of Stroke. The Atlas of Heart Disease and Stroke. MacKay J, Mensah GA. 

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Bath Physiotherapy
01225 683007