Post-Stroke Rehabilitation

stroke

Understanding Stroke

A stroke takes place when the blood supply to part of the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. In either case, this causes parts of the brain to become damaged or die.

The brain needs oxygen. Arteries deliver oxygen-rich blood to the parts of the brain. If something prevents this flow of blood, brain cells start to die because they can’t get oxygen. This causes a stroke.

More than 795,000 people have a stroke every year in the United States. (CDC)

Stroke

What disabilities can result from a stroke?

A stroke can cause permanent brain damage or long-term disability.

Depending upon which area of the brain is damaged, the types and degrees of disability that follow a stroke vary.

Generally, stroke can cause five types of disabilities:

  1. Paralysis or problems controlling movement (motor control)
  2. Sensory disturbances, including pain
  3. Problems using or understanding language (aphasia)
  4. Problems with thinking and memory
  5. Emotional disturbances

Post-stroke rehabilitation

The purpose of rehabilitation is to optimize how the person functions after a stroke. It also aims to increase their level of independence and ensure the best possible quality of life. Rehabilitation cannot reverse brain damage, but it can help a stroke survivor achieve the best long-term outcome.

Someone who has had a stroke can relearn skills that are lost when part of the brain is damaged through rehabilitation. One of the most important elements in any neurorehabilitation program is repetitive practice. The functions previously located in the part of the brain that was damaged move to other brain regions. Repetitive practice helps drive this rewiring of brain circuits. This is called neuroplasticity.

Passive exercise

If you struggle with paralysis after a neurological injury, there is hope for recovery. Set your focus on passive exercise.

Passive exercise involves the manipulation of the body or a limb (e.g. arm) without voluntary effort or muscle contraction. Although the movement isn’t « active, » it still provides positive stimulation to the brain.

Passive exercise helps with paralysis recovery because it encourages neuroplasticity: the mechanism your nervous system uses to rewire itself.

HabilUp home therapy

HabilUp video games help with this goal. When used on a consistent basis, it has helped survivors regain mobility after paralysis.

The video games motivate you to accomplish high repetition of physical therapy exercises.

You can work on paralysis recovery by using the device passively and assisting your affected limbs through the movement. This provides the nervous system with positive stimuli for recovery.

On average, HabilUp users accomplish nearly 3 times more repetition than traditional therapy.

See what stroke survivor Eva said about HabilUp:

Since repetition is how the nervous system rewires itself, it’s clear why HabilUp users see such fast results.

Learn more about how HabilUp works.

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