Stroke Rehabilitation
What to expect as you recover from stroke
Getting back on your feet is likely one of your top concerns after a stroke. Whether it is returning to work, or regaining enough dexterity to tie your shoes, or dress or feed yourself without assistance — all of these are goals of stroke rehabilitation. Stroke rehabilitation, also called stroke rehab, is a key part of your post-stroke care plan. The severity of stroke complications and each person's ability to recover lost abilities varies widely. However, stroke rehabilitation can usually help you achieve the best long-term results. What is stroke rehabilitation?
The goal of any stroke rehabilitation programme is to help you relearn skills lost when stroke damaged part of your brain. Participating in stroke rehabilitation helps you regain as much independence as possible and achieve the best quality of life. Stroke rehabilitation can include physical and occupational therapy or exercises that help you control your movements. These therapies or exercises also might help you learn new ways to perform tasks or compensate for any weakness in your limbs or other areas of your body. For example, your stroke rehabilitation therapy might include learning to bathe, dress or eat with only one hand. Speech therapy may be needed to learn ways to communicate if your speech has been affected. It takes time to relearn skills. The most important key to success for any stroke rehabilitation programme is well-focused and repetitive practice. The saying "Practice makes perfect" applies to stroke rehabilitation just as it does to learning any new skill. What is involved in stroke rehab?
Stroke rehabilitation can involve physical therapy or exercise, as well as relearning language and communication skills with speech therapy. Stroke rehabilitation may include some or all of the following therapies:
- Therapy for communication disorders
- Strengthening motor skills
- Mobility training
- Range of motion therapy
- Psychological therapy
- Constraint-induced therapy
- Forced-use therapy
- Electrical stimulation
Stroke rehabilitation should begin as soon as possible after a stroke. The first priority is to stabilise your medical condition and get life-threatening conditions under control. Doctors will also take measures to prevent another stroke and limit any stroke-related complications. However, once these steps have been taken, it is common for stroke rehabilitation to start during your hospital stay. The sooner you begin stroke rehabilitation, the more likely you are to regain lost abilities and skills. How long does stroke rehabilitation last?
The length of your stroke rehabilitation depends on the severity of your stroke-related complications. While some stroke survivors recover quickly, most stroke survivors need some form of stroke rehabilitation long term, possibly months after their stroke. Your stroke rehabilitation plan will change during your recovery as you relearn skills and your needs change. The length of time you spend doing stroke rehabilitation during each therapy session will also vary depending on your recovery and severity of your symptoms. You may spend as little as one hour a day three days a week, or up to three to five hours a day, seven days a week. What factors affect the outcome of stroke rehabilitation?
Because stroke recovery varies so widely from person to person, it is hard to predict how many abilities you might recover and how soon. However, in general, successful stroke rehabilitation depends on:
- The amount of damage to your brain
- How skilled your stroke rehabilitation team is
- Cooperation of your friends and family — having a good support network has a big impact on your recovery
- Timing of your rehabilitation — the sooner you start, the better you will do
Recovering from a stroke can be a long and — at times — frustrating experience. The difficulties you face are normal. Dedication and willingness to work toward improvement will help you gain the most benefit.
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