What about "Long-Term Rehab Management of Stroke"? What do we know about stroke recovery as we get into months and years and decades?
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| What does this post have to do with this girl? Nothing! |
The first thing we know is that its nonsense to believe that recovery has some sort of expiration date. I like the idea of someone coasting for a month or longer and then recommitting themselves to recovery. Its never too late.
What does tend to happen is "adaptation." The word refers to the notion that if you do the same techniques you get the same results. Survivors and therapists can both cause adaptation. Therapists can get used to what they use and go automatic and unimaginative with treatments. Survivors can get lazy and not push against their present abilities.
Bottom line: There is good evidence in the research that so-called "chronic" survivors can continue to make progress.
Don't stop. Don't stagnate. Don't let a lull convince you recovery has ended.
Bottom line: There is good evidence in the research that so-called "chronic" survivors can continue to make progress.
Don't stop. Don't stagnate. Don't let a lull convince you recovery has ended.
7 comments:
Thanks for posting this! Even though I've got a lot of motivation and keep working hard even though I'm in the chronic stage, sometimes doubts and fear creep in.
Thank you for this post.
Thank you for this post.
I agree. I think this is the single most important message survivors need to hear and believe. I feel like I'm stagnating in one area....I don't know what else to do with two remaining issues. Fatigue.....ugh!!! and my affected side shoe falls off. They are both annoying, but I can compensate for both. I'd rather fix the problems than compensate.
Hello, I am new in the forum, and I just read this. I agree 100% with the idea that you should never give up, whatever your condition is. Many studies say the recovery process stops after a few months post stroke... How is that? I have a cousin aged 44 who just began learning violin, and who's doing well ! Means it's never too late to learn, is it your own motricity or a music instrument. The brain has a fantastic ability that is called cerebral plasticity that therapists HAVE TO seek at any price. The patient's motivation will also help the recovery process: as it was proved by studies, motivation makes the re-programmation of the brain easier and quicker : it was proved better recoveries happens after a task-oriented rehab than after a aimless rehab. I can understand why some patients give up if their therapist keeps on doing the same exercise over and over again, and so anyone would do... It's the therapist's duty to make the exercises become interesting and motivating for the patient. That's why a good therapist is definitely someone who can properly assess the patient's level before starting the rehab, so that he won't ask for tasks that are too difficult and so destabilising... Motivation can make you go further in the recovery, I am sure about this, every little step is a further step and should be considered :)
NINjap: right on!
Yes, 4 years post-stroke and I'm currently learning the back crawl: my affected leg does a good job, and my shoulder does what it's supposed to. Straightening my arm is my next goal. I may never have decent form, but I don't have it with my unaffected side either.
Thanks for continuing to tell therapists that we can make progress in the chronic phase. We can.
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