About this topic
A stroke can be a very serious illness. It can affect you in many ways. You may have trouble speaking or not be able to use your arm. You may have trouble walking or moving your leg. You may not be able to sit up by yourself. There are many kinds of exercises that can help different problems from the stroke. Your doctor and therapists can help you find the best exercises for your problems. Do your exercises as directed by your therapist. You may have a better outcome if you are consistent with your exercises. ‚
General
Before starting with a program, ask your doctor if you are healthy enough to do these exercises. Your doctor may have you work with a trainer or physical therapist to make a safe exercise program to meet your needs. ‚
Range-of-Motion Exercises ‚
Range-of-motion exercises help you move your joints as much as possible. ‚
- Active ¢ ˆ ’ You move the body part by itself.
- Assistive ¢ ˆ ’ You need help to move your body part. You may need help from another person or you may use another part of your body. Sometimes, you will use a device to help you move. Using a shoulder pulley is an example of active assistive range of motion.
- Passive ¢ ˆ ’ Another person or a machine moves your body part.
Strengthening Exercises ‚
Strengthening exercises keep your muscles firm and strong. You may start without resistance. As you get stronger you may add resistance from bands, weights, or machines. You may also use pressure from another person. A biceps curl with a dumbbell is an example of this kind of exercise. ‚
Stretching Exercises ‚
Stretching exercises keep your muscles flexible. They also stop them from getting tight. This will result in more range of motion. The seated hamstring stretch is an example. You are stretching the muscles in the back of your thigh. ‚
Coordination Exercises ‚
Coordination work on using different body parts together to do an activity. An example is alternating turning one palm up while you turn the other palm down. ‚
Swallowing Exercises ‚
Swallowing exercises help to work on the swallowing muscles. An example of a swallowing exercise is this 3 step exercise: ‚
- Take a deep breath
- Hold your breath while you swallow
- Cough to clear any leftover debris
Thinking Exercises ‚
Thinking exercises ay include problem solving, memory, and focusing exercises. ‚
Eye Exercises ‚
Eye exercises work on the muscles that do eye movements. ‚
Speech Exercises ‚
Speech exercises work on the muscles around the mouth and tongue. ‚
Balance Exercises ‚
Balance exercises work on helping you sit or stand without falling. An example would be standing on one leg while only holding on with one hand. This may help your balance when you are standing. ‚
Weight-Bearing Exercises ‚
Weight-bearing exercises put weight on your weak leg. Doing a mini-squat is an example of a weight-bearing exercise. ‚
Gross Motor Exercises ‚
Gross motor exercises work on big movements such as walking or throwing a ball. ‚
Fine Motor Exercises ‚
Fine motor exercises work on coordination in the hand. An example of a fine motor exercise would be touching each finger to your thumb. ‚
Forced Use Exercises ‚
Forced use exercises make you use your weak side since you are not allowed to use your strong side. They are also called constraint-induced movement exercises. ‚
Sensory Re-education Exercises ‚
Sensory re-education exercises work to help problems with light touch, pain, deep pressure, and temperature. ‚
View OriginalView Original
What will the results be?
- More strength
- Better balance and coordination
- Better mobility and range of motion
- Better speech
- Better swallowing
- Better thinking and memory
- Better vision
- Improved sensation
- Less risk for falling
Where can I learn more?
National Stroke Association ‚
http://www.stroke.org/site/DocServer/hope4.pdf?docID=524 ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚