Physiotherapy and occupational therapy
Physiotherapy includes simple exercises to re-educate the muscles and nerves after a stroke, in order to improve balance and mobility. Physiotherapists can also help people relearn how to walk. If a person's walking ability is impaired, it is often recovered around 3 months after a stroke.[1,2]
Physiotherapy can also help a person to use the arm or leg affected by the stroke spontaneously (that is, without a conscious effort). Often, the degree of spontaneous use continues to improve for several months after the course of therapy has ended.[3]
Occupational therapy can help people with everyday activities such as preparing a meal, dressing, taking public transport and using the telephone, so that they can enjoy a greater degree of independence after a stroke.[4]
- De Wit L, Putman K, Lincoln N et al. Stroke rehabilitationThe treatment of a person with an illness or disability to improve their function and health. in Europe: what do physiotherapists and occupational therapists actually do? Stroke 2006; 37: 1483-9.
- Dickstein R, Dunsky A and Marcovitz E. Motor imagery for gait rehabilitationThe treatment of a person with an illness or disability to improve their function and health. in post-stroke hemiparesis. Phys Ther 2004; 84: 1167-77.
- Han CE, Arbib MA and Schweighofer N. Stroke rehabilitationThe treatment of a person with an illness or disability to improve their function and health. reaches a threshold. PLoS Computational Biology 2008; 4: e1000133
- Legg L, Drummond A, Leonardi-Bee J et al. Occupational therapy for patients with problems in personal activities of daily living after stroke: systematic review of randomised trials. BMJ 2007; 335: 922.
