Regaining Movements and Paralysis Recovery After a Stroke

Paralysis recovery in the wake of a stroke can take time. You are also contending with other lingering symptoms that can require attention. Therefore, you need to have a game plan for your recovery process. This involves understanding the best practices and treatments that are currently available. Today, we are going to discuss some of the top stroke paralysis recovery therapies. Then we will address how to stay focused mentally in order to work toward your goals and retain your independence. 

Walking and Stroke Recovery 

If you can still walk on your own, this is one of the best things that you can do for stroke recovery. If you can’t walk on your own, we’ll address an alternative therapy in just a moment. But first, let’s consider the benefits of walking after a stroke in order to hasten your recovery process.

Even if you can walk only a little and require assistance to steady yourself, getting some activity each day will make a difference. You can start by just walking for 10 minutes per day and work your way up to longer sessions. Don’t rush because you can’t know when you may become unsteady. Especially at first, it is a good idea to walk indoors, where you will always have something to grab onto, perhaps with a walker.  

As your endurance and confidence increase, you can lengthen your walking sessions. Keep a journal so you can share your progress with your physician or physical therapist. Make sure the terrain is flat, especially once you venture outdoors. If you walk on a sidewalk, make sure someone is with you and that you watch out for broken pavement. 

If You Can’t Walk on Your Own

For those who lose the ability to walk following a stroke, it may be possible to make use of a recovery center with a gait retraining treadmill. An unweighing treadmill, such as a Lokomat, will use a harness and exoskeleton to allow a patient to walk safely and with a natural gait. As a result, the body may be able to rewire to walk on its own. This is beneficial both for stroke patients who are experiencing a greater degree of paralysis or those who are a very high fall risk.  

Additional Exercises that May Help with Stroke Recovery 

Exercise is essential in general. It can help improve both your cardiovascular and respiratory health. Plus, it is an excellent way to maintain a positive mental state since activity releases feel-good hormones in the body. Depending on the extent of the injury, your doctor may recommend that you use any of these types of exercise as part of your recovery. 

• Stationary bike – This allows a patient to get exercise without the risk of falls that come along with riding a bicycle. You may also have access to a handcycle to add arm exercise. Some recovery facilities will pair a stationary cycle with an FES device. FES uses electrical impulses to activate nonfunctioning muscles. Thus, this is effective even for paralysis recovery after a stroke. 
• Balance exercises – After a stroke, retraining your balance is crucial to avoid dangerous falls. Therefore, your doctor may recommend a number of simple balance exercises that you can perform with assistance. 
• Stretching – You want to maintain and improve your current range of motion. Stretching is an ideal way to do this. Plus, it keeps the joints from tightening up, which may be of great benefit if you were unable to perform a lot of activity following the stroke. 
• Water aerobics – This is a great way to get some cardio without worrying about falls or bodyweight. 

Again, the type of exercise that a physical therapist or medical doctor recommends will be based on your personal circumstances and where you are at in your recovery. 

Consistency Is Essential 

Paralysis recovery following a stroke is all about how consistent you are with the therapy and exercise programs. Whether it is physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, or any other form of treatment, try to make every appointment. If you have exercises to perform on your own at home, make sure you are following the instructions. The more you put into your paralysis recovery, the better the results will be. 

Because your attitude and work ethic will play such a large role in the success of your paralysis recovery, it is crucial to stay focused and to resist the potential discouragement that can come along with a challenging recovery process. What can you do to ensure that you stick with it and optimize your recovery and independence?

Paralysis Recovery: Will You Walk Again After Your Spinal Cord Injury?

Preparing Mentally and Emotionally for Paralysis Recovery After a Stroke 

The tragic effects of a stroke can cause even the most joyful person to experience moments of grief, denial, anger, and other intense negative emotions. The sooner you accept your new circumstance, the more of that emotional energy you can put into your paralysis recovery. In order to help you reach this point of mental readiness for the recovery journey, iAM ABLE offers the eBook 7 Unbelievably Important Steps to Take to Thrive after Paralysis. 

Whether you are living with paralysis due to a stroke or any other reason, we hope this publication helps you to challenge yourself, realize you are not alone, and recognize that you can still have a happy and fulfilling existence. Read it today, and then contact a modern stroke paralysis recovery center to get your paralysis recovery started right away.

Grab our free e-book 7 Unbelievably Important Steps to Take to THRIVE after Paralysis by clicking the image below.