When a person suffers a stroke, the blood supply to the brain is cut off and brain cells begin to die quickly. Effects of a stroke may include loss of muscle movement, speech impairment, memory loss and behavior changes. According to the American Heart Association, benefits of exercise for stroke victims include increased physiological and psychological well-being along with improvements in strength and endurance. Speak to your doctor regarding exercise recommendations for stroke patients.
Physical Therapy
Active and passive range of motion exercises are likely part of your rehabilitation. Active range of motion exercises includes moves that the patient can perform on his own. Passive range of motion exercises are done with the assistance of a person like a physical therapist. Typically in rehabilitation, you begin passive range of motion exercises and move on to active range of motion exercises as your strength and endurance improves. Range of motion exercise include head tilts, ankle rotations, elbow bends, hip bends, finger spreads and toe spreads. During exercise sessions, you may have healthy limbs restrained while performing the recommended moves. Healthy limbs are temporarily restrained with a harness to encourage the use of damaged limbs without the reliance on working limbs. Motor tasks, such as tracing and grasping objects, are usually performed during this form of therapy.
Stair Climbing
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, a typical exercise for stroke patients is stair-walking. Stair-walking takes a lot of coordination and balance to complete the exercise. In preparation of stair-walking, you may practice the repetitive movement of lifting your legs up and down. If you are too impaired to bear your own weight, a physical therapist may use a harness and have you work on the motion while submerged in water.
Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise is used to improve how effectively you can walk and increase your ability to perform daily activities independently. According to the American Heart Association, you should exercise 20 to 60 minutes for three to seven days per week. A treadmill and stationary bicycle can be used to complete this requirement.
Strength Training
Strength training exercises are used to improve range of motion in stroke patients. Bicep curls, leg curls, arm raises, hip extensions and pull downs are examples of strength training exercises that work different muscle groups. You should do one to three sets of 10 to 15 reps for each exercise. Your physical therapist is likely to give you a weight recommendation depending on your ability.
References
- American Heart Association: Physical Activity and Exercise Recommendations for Stroke Survivors
- American Heart Association:Summary of Exercise Programming Recommendations for Stroke Survivors
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Post-Stroke Rehabilitation Fact Sheet
- MayoClinic.com: Stroke
- Drugs.com: Passive Range of Motion Exercises
