Stroke is one of the leading causes of disability that occurs because of permanent damage to brain and may lead to difficulty in movement, balancing, pain, memory loss, loss of function (of affected part), fatigue , emotional and psychological problems. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and can be temporary or permanent in nature. Many of the Stroke survivors face problems in balancing which may affect their ability to walk and also increases the risk of falling. Besides balancing some people may also have feeling of dizziness or spinning sensation (due to stroke) which can further increase the risk of falling to five times.
Balancing while walking requires coordination between ears, eyes and brain. Any damage caused by stroke in part of brain that control coordination of movement may hamper balancing. Similarly, impaired vision, hearing or inability to process information in relation to affected side of the body may also lead to imbalance. The other evident reason for balance problems in stroke survivors is that one side of the body (unaffected side) becomes stronger than the other.
Physical activity in form of exercise, yoga or any pleasurable activity can bring tremendous change in their lives. Physical activity will not only help in recovering from present disability but also prevent another episode of stroke. Physical therapy makes the patient more independent, boosts confidence, improves overall health and helps reduce depression and anxiety (related to the disease). Physical activity in any form helps improve heart function, lowers BP and the resting heart rate. It improves the overall metabolism. It improves the lipid profile by reducing total cholesterol. It also reduces the risk and severity of diabetes and improves the brain health by increasing strength, tolerance and endurance of the body.
Survivors are advised to start with stroke physical therapy for regaining balance as early as possible (after the stabilisation of the vitals).It may take a while for the body to start walking after a stroke. Initially easy and less strenuous exercises are suggested which can be gradually increased once body’s endurance and strength improves. Aim is to take small steps that will lead to long lasting healthy changes in body. During the recovery period, neither patient nor the caregiver should get discouraged because of the physical disability. Instead a lot of sincere and focused efforts are required on a daily basis (from patient) which will help lessen the symptoms and will lead to increased independence.
Physical activity has countless benefits for stroke survivors. Most common physical activities for stroke patients with severe- moderate disability are stretching the neck, moving/rotating the arm, lifting the knee, flexing and extending the elbows and arms, and ankle rotation on the unaffected side of the body. With the improvement in balancing, gradually the frequency and duration can be increased like, after learning to balance upright while sitting in a chair, next is to learn the transfers safely between bed and chair followed by beginning to learn to walk.
Patients with mild disability have numerous options for exercises such as swimming, walking, stair stepper and use of recumbent stationary bike as well. There are some fortunate stroke survivors who can move all the four limbs without any weakness. But they should also exercise after stroke on a regular basis. They can start with any form of physical activity of their interest e.g. gardening, playing sport, walking or swimming. Nowadays, many visual reality devices are also available which makes the physical activity more enjoyable by giving immediate feedbacks. This encourages the patient for active participation also.
Healthy food habits also proved to be highly effective during the recovery phase. Wisely chosen food items can also help reduce the stroke risk factors. Small frequent meals with large portions of fruits, vegetables and whole grains are advisable. Saturated and Trans fats should be completely avoided. Instead, lean meat and low fat dairy products should be consumed. Smoking and alcohol consumption should be completely stopped.
