While recovering from a stroke, it can be tempting to search for ways to speed up the healing process. Fortunately, even though stroke recovery takes time, there are a few strategies to make the most of your rehabilitation! It's crucial to recognize that there are no shortcuts to brain recovery. This is why recovery from a stroke greatly depends on a deliberate, regular rehabilitation program.
Every stroke is different and every recovery is different as a result. This means all survivors recover from stroke at different rates, with some seeing recovery more quickly than others. Everyone’s unique stroke recovery timeline is based on their specific injury and other personal factors. Luckily, there are ways to help you improve the effectiveness and efficiency of your recovery.
Read Also: Stroke Rehab: Understanding Its Importance
What is Stroke?When blood flow to the brain is cut off, a stroke, also known as a brain attack, occurs. This is a medical emergency. For optimal function, the brain requires a steady flow of nutrients and oxygen. Problems may arise if the blood supply is interrupted, even for a brief period of time. After only a few minutes without blood or oxygen, brain cells start to die. Brain function is lost when brain cells die. Activities regulated by that area of the brain become difficult or impossible to perform.
Read Also: Understanding Stroke Recovery Time and Effective Treatments
Did you know that after a stroke, the brain may heal itself and recover from damage? Neuroplasticity is the term for this process. The brain can rewire and reorganize itself effectively through neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity promotes the recovery of damaged brain regions after a stroke has damaged other parts of the brain.
However, continuous stimulation of the brain is necessary to promote recovery. The brain makes an effort to become more proficient at an activity or thinking when you practice it often. For this reason, it is crucial to perform therapeutic exercises that involve numerous repetitions or massed practice in order to recover from a stroke as soon as feasible.
By concentrating on things that excite and reorganise your brain, you can promote neuroplasticity. You will work with your care team to develop a rehabilitation plan that will enable you to accomplish this. Then, in order to most benefit, you must be consistent.
However, we would want to add a word about "snake oil salesmen" before we get started. If someone promises you quick recovery from a stroke, proceed with extreme caution. Some treatments have little clinical support for their claims of quick results. The brain makes small adjustments to heal itself. You can increase your chances of recovery and get well from a stroke as soon as possible if you're working hard. We'll discuss 11 useful strategies to take control of your stroke recovery in this article.
Read Also: What is Advanced Neuro Rehab?
After learning the fundamentals of stroke recovery, let's discuss the various strategies you can use to hasten the process. Each stroke survivor will need to follow a regimen that best suits their unique needs. You can increase your independence and optimize your results by adopting these rehab techniques and learning more about stroke recovery. Let's begin!
1. Focus Your Attention on Repetitive Activities
One of the most important components of stroke rehabilitation is repetition. Your brain uses neuroplasticity, which is triggered by repetition, to rewire itself and create efficiency. Here's how to recover your abilities and get past a stroke's aftereffects.
2. Improve Your Walking Skills by Focussing on More on Your Brain Than Your Feet
Your physical therapist can help you recover by demonstrating the exercises you should perform if you have trouble walking after a stroke. Your therapist will probably suggest other exercises for your feet, core, and balance in addition to leg workouts. Walking is a full-body activity, so be sure to practice full-body exercises.
3. Don’t Work Only on AFOs for Foot Drop Recovery
Ankle foot orthotics, or AFOs, can significantly improve your gait and are a useful tool for stroke survivors. This is more appropriate for survivors who suffer from hemiplegia or hemiparesis—paralysis or weakness on one side of the body. Walking can be extremely challenging and dangerous if you have dorsiflexion, or the inability to lift your foot. AFOs can therefore be quite important in preventing falls while you go about your everyday activities. Make sure to seek assistance from your therapist if you have trouble with foot drop.
4. Improve Your Speech After a Stroke with Affordable Apps
You might experience language issues like aphasia if you had a stroke on the left side of your brain. A speech-language specialist, often known as a speech therapist, can identify the particular form of aphasia you have and help you get better. They can also aid with dysphagia, or trouble swallowing. However, once-weekly speech therapy sessions may not be sufficient to stimulate the brain in a way that promotes neuroplasticity. You must continue your therapy at home if you want to recover from a stroke as quickly as possible. Apps for speech therapy can be useful in this situation.
5. Bounce Back from the Plateau of Recovery
The fastest recovery for stroke survivors usually occurs in the first three to six months following the event. This is called spontaneous recovery. Recovery after a stroke often slows down after three months. Patients often discontinue inpatient therapy because of this "plateau". Even while it can be discouraging to see a plateau in progress, recuperation has not completely ceased. In order to maintain your recovery, it's actually a sign that you should stick to your at-home workout regimen. It becomes more crucial to follow a daily rehab routine at home in order to recover from a stroke as quickly as possible, especially if inpatient treatment is not available to keep you engaged.
6. Reverse Regressions by Maintaining Consistency
It is common to encounter regression during rehabilitation, which can be depressing for survivors. However, this does not mean that recovery is complete. You should always consult your doctor or therapist because a regression may suggest other issues.
7. Adopt Meditation to Speed Up Your Recovery
Are you aware of how effective meditation is at helping stroke survivors recover? It may appear too easy to help at first. However, some clinical research indicates that meditation is quite beneficial for stroke survivors. For people suffering from anxiety or sadness following a stroke, this can be quite beneficial.
8. Choose healthy Diet
The production of new neurons in the brain is known as neurogenesis, and it may help you recover from a stroke as soon as possible. Neurogenesis-promoting diets can play a great role in stroke rehabilitation. These foods include blueberries, almonds, seeds, pomegranates, and fish.
9. Get Sound Sleep
Sleep converts the day's short-term memories into long-term ones, aiding in mobility recovery after a stroke. Additionally, it allows the brain to relax and rejuvenate. For many stroke patients, getting enough good sleep might be difficult, but it's an essential part of healing.
10. Board games
After a stroke, your brain may benefit from a favourite childhood activity. Traditional board games like Guess Who?, Qwirkle, Battleship, and Connect 4 need a variety of mental abilities, such as memory, organisation, logic, and focus. The majority of these activities call for a partner or partners, and the additional time spent interacting with friends or family can help stroke survivors recover even more.
11. Crafts and artwork
Art therapy can aid patients in their rehabilitation from a number of illnesses. People who may find it difficult to express their emotions or reduce tension can benefit from art therapy. In addition to the emotional benefits of art therapy, drawing, colouring, painting, or crafts strengthens intellectual abilities and hand-eye coordination.
Brain training sessions are just one part of the rehabilitation process for stroke patients. Other therapies, such as physical and occupational therapy, can also help you restore abilities that may have been damaged by a stroke. These approaches can help people reclaim some of their pre-stroke abilities. They can also aid with emotional rehabilitation.
These were 11 proven ways to regain mobility faster after a stroke. Get expert tips and rehabilitation strategies from our neurologists. Start your recovery with Walk Again today!
Q1: How long does it take to regain mobility after a stroke?
A: Recovery time varies for each individual. Some may see improvements within weeks, while others may take months or even years, depending on stroke severity and rehabilitation efforts.
Q2: What role does diet play in stroke recovery?
A: A healthy diet rich in lean proteins, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and omega-3 fatty acids supports brain health, reduces inflammation, and aids recovery.
Q3: Are there any assistive devices that help with mobility?
A: Yes, walkers, canes, ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs), and functional electrical stimulation (FES) devices can assist in regaining mobility safely.