If you have suffered a stroke, exercises will help with your recovery, reports the National Stroke Association. They will strengthen your muscles and add flexibility to the areas of your body that were affected by the stroke. Your range of motion will improve so that you can perform activities of daily living more easily. Having stronger muscles will also improve your balance and coordination when you are transferring and ambulating. You may need to have someone assist you with these exercises to receive the maximum benefit.
Pelvis, Hip and Knee
This exercise helps to strengthen the muscles necessary for rolling over and moving in bed. It also helps to reduce stiffness in your waist, hip and lower back. While lying on your back in bed, place your hands on your abdomen and interlock your fingers. Bend your knees up with feet flat on the bed. With your knees together, slowly rotate to the right as far as you can go. Raise your knees up to the starting position and slowly lower them to the left. Do two sets of five repetitions on each side.
Shoulders
This exercise will strengthen the muscles that stabilize your shoulders. While lying flat on your back, relax your arms at your sides. Raise the arm of the affected side to shoulder height, keeping your elbow straight and hand pointing toward the ceiling. While in this position, raise your hand higher while lifting your shoulder blade up and hold for three to five seconds. Relax and lower your shoulder blade. Repeat the reaching movements slowly and steadily 10 times, then relax. Repeat this exercise on your nonaffected side.
Hip Control
Lie on your back with your arms to the side. Leave your unaffected leg flat on the bed. Bend the knee of your affected leg with your foot flat on the bed. Raise your affected leg and cross it over your nonaffected leg, keeping your knee bent. Then uncross, returning to the starting position. Repeat the movement of crossing and uncrossing five times. Then reverse legs and do five repetitions with your nonaffected leg bent.
Range Of Motion
This exercise will improve the range of motion to your affected arm and add flexibility. It will also help to strengthen and tone the muscles of your arm. While sitting in a chair, raise your affected arm up and down with your nonaffected hand. Do two sets of 10 repetitions.
Treadmill
Walking on a treadmill is an aerobic exercise that benefits your cardiovascular system, and a healthier cardiovascular system may help you avoid another stroke in the future. When first starting to work out on a treadmill, have a spotter assist you for safety. Start out walking on the treadmill for a short amount of time, slowly increasing in speed and duration.
