tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174880937451768707.post3497838009189477340..comments2023-10-18T05:54:19.015-07:00Comments on Stronger After Stroke Blog (THE STROKE RECOVERY BLOG): Yes! Stretch!Peter G Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12585356059363005619noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174880937451768707.post-13809658333852097832014-02-05T08:49:36.479-08:002014-02-05T08:49:36.479-08:00Mom: Yes, stretch "helps to momentarily relax...Mom: Yes, stretch "helps to momentarily relax the muscles." No doubt. But the next big volitional movement or associated reaction (from sneezing, getting up from a chair, etc.) and spasticity will come back. But as a precursor to repetitive practice, yes! Its just that, you may have to do it a lot because as you work hard the spasticity will come back. Thanks for the thoughtful comment.Peter G Levinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13595198575349062833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174880937451768707.post-26217437138629424812014-02-05T08:47:32.767-08:002014-02-05T08:47:32.767-08:00Grace: How are you!! Long time no see! To your com...Grace: How are you!! Long time no see! To your comment....<br /><br />1: I'm from the world of research- as you know. The research is clear: stretch effects neither spasticity or contracture or anything else that comes form spasticity. BTW, if your muscles are indeed contracted there is a small window of opportunity (basically before the muscle turns into connective tissue) that serial casting may elongate the muscle. But for the most part the only way around a contracture is surgery. <br /><br />2: Yoga: Any movement is good movement in my book (literally, in my book!) and yoga because it makes the practitioner so aware of their movement is probably of great benefit. There are many benefits IN THE LIT that strongly suggest (we researches hate the word "prove") that yoga helps across many physiological and cognitive domains. All the best!Peter G Levinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13595198575349062833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174880937451768707.post-32909372810759361902014-02-05T08:38:26.533-08:002014-02-05T08:38:26.533-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.Peter G Levinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13595198575349062833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174880937451768707.post-18161841975683471762014-02-05T08:06:44.724-08:002014-02-05T08:06:44.724-08:00Hi Pete- 2 things:
1)I know you’ve talked about t...Hi Pete- 2 things:<br /><br />1)I know you’ve talked about the difference between spasticity and contracture. But for me, it seems academic: all I know is that movement is effortful, slow (and often jerky.) But you have contracture, isn’t it essential to stretch, if as if you were recovering from a broken bone? Don’t most survivors in the “chronic” stage who have spasticity also have contracture? <br /><br />2)I do yoga poses and pilates-type exercises, in addition to repetitive exercises (like walking). I feel yoga, especially, has helped me immensely ( I know, I have only have one data point). I wonder if stretching/yoga yields more results for someone (like me) who has more sensory/proprioception issues? Holding a pose seems to help me “remember” what my muscles used to feel like.<br />Grace Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01728427612743156573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174880937451768707.post-16883943630693488102014-02-05T05:38:15.615-08:002014-02-05T05:38:15.615-08:00I was told that stretching helps to momentarily re...I was told that stretching helps to momentarily relax the muscles so that then we can do the repetitive exercises needed to promote recovery. Does this make sense?Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12831854642670891165noreply@blogger.com