Rehabilitation | strokerehab

After suffering a stroke, muscles forget how to do what they did before the damage.
Patients must relearn how to do simple acts like walking, getting out of bed, or sitting in a chair.
Stroke victims often go to physical therapists to learn ways to train their muscles to do what they need them to do.
Physical therapists work to strengthen and train muscles. They work to get patients moving as quickly as possible.
Patients can do this at the location, but others often learn the exercises and do them at home. This helps assure that they do not lose the skills they have relearned.
Exercises can be active or passive range of motion.
Consistency is the key to mobility. Patients must continue to practice the exercises.
Physical therapists often involve the family in the process, as they are important to the continuing improvement of the patient.

A Few Types of Stroke Therapy...

Mirror Therapy or Mirror Box Therapy is also knows as Mirror Visual Feedback.
It was first used with amputees dealing with “phantom” pain.
Doctors began using this with stroke patients because these patients often forget to use an affected limb after a stroke.
In 2005 a study showed that this worked with stroke patients.
It works with a simple mirror.
Patients sit in front of the mirror, keeping the weaker limb out of sight.
They then move the stronger limb, making it appear as if the weaker limb was also moving.
With regular practice each day, patients saw a marked improvement in their progress.
Researchers say that this trains the brain and the patient, to move their weaker limb.
The basis for this therapy is the premise that the brain is “trainable” and can be taught.
More patients are using Mirror Therapy as they seek to recover from strokes.

Studies have been clear that music positively affects the brain; therefore, researchers reason that music will also help stroke patients.
Music has been proven to help stroke victims recover much faster, when combined with traditional therapy.
Music boosts attitude and also motivation, resulting in improved success.
Working with music also improves how patients respond to social interaction.
Research has shown that music decreases blood pressure, heart rate, and anxiety of the patient.
Family members also reported better progress at home, when the stroke victim used music in their recovery.
Most patients only had to listen to or play a 30 minute session of music to see results.
This is a relatively new form of therapy, but it seems to be very successful and promises to help many stroke patients.

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