What is it?
A stroke is damage to the brain. The most common cause is called an ischemic stroke, meaning the blockage of a blood vessel to the brain. This leads to the brain not getting enough oxygen and causes the tissue to die in the affected area. Another type of stroke is a hemorrhagic stroke, meaning a blood vessel in the brain tears and blood leaks into the brain, damaging the brain tissue in the area.
How can it affect me?
A stroke can impact people in many different ways depending on what area(s) of the brain is affected. Usually, one side of the body is affected, opposite to the side of the brain that had the stroke. This may influence strength and/or sensation and your limbs may have high tone (stiff, tight, tough to move) or be flaccid (muscle paralyzed, unable to move). Other impairments you could notice following a stroke include difficulty walking, poor balance and/or coordination, speech difficulties, memory changes and difficulty completing daily tasks.
How Neuphysio can help!
Our skilled therapists at Neuphysio are trained to treat neurological injuries such as a stroke. We will start by assessing your current abilities and discuss your goals for treatment. Stroke rehabilitation is multifaceted using various approaches to help with neuroplasticity – creating new pathways between the brain and body through repetitions and varied tasks.
Treatment may include:
- Hands-on techniques to help you activate your muscles and relearn movement patterns
- Exercises and stretches
- Teaching you how to modify tasks to be more independent with them
- Use modalities for pain control and may suggest devices that could help with recovery and walking again
Learning to stand and walk again is also something we can help teach you at Neuphysio. Stroke rehabilitation may also benefit from other services such as massage therapy, osteopathy, personal training, rehabilitation therapy in home or in the community, or use of some of our specialized technologies which we can discuss with you further if it is appropriate. At Neuphysio, we love to help people learn to move again following neurological injuries while working with you to achieve your goals!