 AddThis Social Bookmark Button
Walking, hydrotherapy, riding a bike, gardening, dancing, and bowling or working in the yard can produce an adequate workout. At first physical activity may be limited to your rehabilitation program which could include the following: - Practising tasks/activities that you have difficulty with including rolling over in bed, sitting, standing, walking and using your hand and arm.
- Strength Exercises improve sensation, coordination, balance and fitness. These routines can be done while doing normal activities such as standing or walking. Treadmills can be introduced as you get stronger to help improve movement.
- Join a fitness centre or community group (walking, yoga or swimming) can help keep regular routine and motivation up. Talk to your doctor or therapist to see whether this is suitable for you.
- Stretching or supporting your muscles to reduce their stiffness or pain. Often when muscles are not being used normally they get stiff and can also become painful. It is important to keep the muscles flexible with regular stretching.
- Walking with the use of a frame or stick can increase safety, however never start without advice from your doctor or physiotherapist first. Sometimes it’s not recommended early after a stroke as it changes the way muscles learn to move again and can limit recovery.
- Limiting the use of your good arm to encourage working the affected arm. Research shows this can fast-track recovery. People with weak hands often are given a soft ball to squeeze to help improve their grip.
Best Types of Exercise As you get stronger aim to work up to a brisk hour of walking five days a week which studies have shown will burn around 8500 – 12,500 kilojoules a week and cut the risk of stroke by half! The American Heart Association’s (AHA) exercise study recommends aerobic training which may include leg, arm, or combined arm-leg exercises, aiming for 40% to 70% of your maximum heart rate 3 -7 days a week for between 20-60 minutes. Start by breaking this into smaller sessions of 10 minutes each until you can reach 20 minutes, then 30 minutes and build up to a 60 minute workout. As a guide, when working at 40-70% of your maximum heart rate you should be breathing harder than at rest, but still able to hold a conversation. You will also feel a light sweat and warmth in the muscles.
Treadmill is one of the best exercise because it practices an everyday function: walking with a supporting handrail and adjustable gradients and speed which be made more difficult as you get fitter.
Upper-body and resistance-training programs are also recommended. Try 10 to 15 repetitions (i.e. higher repetitions with reduced loads) for each set of exercises rather than 8 to 12 repetitions performed 2 - 3 days per week. Include at least one set of exercises involving major muscle groups (arms, shoulders, chest, abdomen, back, hips, and legs).
AHA research show aggressive rehabilitation beyond the six month period increases aerobic capacity and sensorimotor function
For patients unable to perform a graded exercise test, light-to-moderate rather than vigorous exercise will help with a greater training frequency, duration, or both to compensate for the reduced intensity.
|
Stroke Prevention 
