Patients who have suffered from strokes often begin their recovery in a rehabilitation center that focuses on exercise and therapy. When patients head home, many continue to exercise to regain strength and stay strong. Stroke patients who are in wheelchairs can still exercise. Wheelchair exercises can help stroke patients build up muscles and adapt to their new situation and level of mobility.
Benefits
The benefits of continued exercise for stroke patients include increased fitness and enhanced quality of life. The National Stroke Association states that exercise can reduce disability and lessen the risk of repeated strokes. Patients in wheelchairs may find that exercises to develop their upper body strength can increase their self-sufficiency and confidence.
Resistance Training
Resistance training makes use of a resistance band hooked onto a secure pole, hook, door handle or arm of the wheelchair. You pull these big stretchable bands toward and away from you. You can also do shoulder and trunk rotations and elbow extensions with the help of the resistance band. You can purchase resistance bands with several levels of resistance. The benefits of this type of exercise include increased bone mineral density and buildup of muscle strength and tone, which can help preserve mobility in parts of the body unaffected by stroke and build up functionality in affected limbs.
Wheelchair Yoga
Wheelchair yoga involves modification of traditional yoga poses, breathing and guided imagery exercises. The goal is to improve posture, alignment, coordination, mobility and mental health. The exercises also help patients expand their chest muscles and increase their oxygen flow. Specific yoga moves performed in a class can include seated twists, stretches, staff pose, fire log pose, cow face pose and pranayama breathing. Mountain pose, which is typically performed by standing tall, can be adapted to sitting tall while lifting the crown of the head toward the ceiling.
Aquatic Exercise
Exercising in the water can help ease movement and allows for greater safety when performing certain maneuvers. Aquatic exercise puts less stress on joints than traditional exercise and reduces the risk of falling. Because water provides more resistance than air, you can build strength with very simple movements. Patients can stay in a chair the entire time while working on sitting and balance. The buoyancy of the water can help make movement easier for patients in a wheelchair. Some stroke patients who have very limited movements can get greater range of movement in the water. Aquatic therapy should be performed with a licensed trainer or therapist.
Strength Training
Patients in wheelchairs can use weight training to build up upper body strength, which will assist them in getting around and adapting to their new lifestyle. People who do well with resistance training often do well with strength training as well. Small weights are used for lifting, which stretches the muscles, a process that is important for sedentary people. Weights help you achieve higher muscle mass and avoid gaining weight.
References
- National Stroke Association: Pool Time -- Stroke-Friendly Water Rehabilitation
- Times of India: Wheelchair Yoga Helps Stroke Patients
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Post-Stroke Rehabilitation Fact Sheet
- National Stroke Association: Working Out at Home
- Healthy Fit Strong: Exercises for Seniors in Wheelchairs
