Stroke Rehab for Improving Gait

With Dr. Nick Housley 27th Jul, 21

Do you know stroke is one of the major causes of disability? According to a National Institutes of Health article, 90% of people have reduced gait because of stroke. Gait refers to the way you walk, and this is one of the persistent consequences of stroke.

The good news is that you can restore and improve your walking abilities and relearn the skills you lost. It is only possible with stroke rehabilitation (rehab). The goal of stroke rehab is to improve your quality of life by helping you regain your walking abilities.

Gait Improvement With Stroke Rehab:

Stroke rehab is a comprehensive program that aims to help you recover from damages caused by stroke. It works by assessing the area that needs great care, its risk factors, and training programs to improve your gait.

Gait Training:

  1. Walking: It can be quite challenging for a stroke patient to learn to walk, but walking for any length of time strengthens your bones and builds muscle mass.
  2. Six-Minute-Walk Test (6MWT): This test is used to diagnose how much you’ve made progress in walking or improving your gait. According to a study, 65-85% of stroke survivors somehow learn to walk but don’t show any improvements in gait.
  3. Treadmill Training: Balance improvement, the ability of the body to bear weight, and increased walking speed are some attributes of treadmill training in stroke survivors.
  4. Repetitive Mobility Training: This is one of the most crucial parts of stroke rehab because it involves small but repetitive movements to improve muscle reinforcement, posture, and equilibrium.

Stroke Rehab Also Involves Technology-Assisted Gait Training:

You can also perform physical activities by technology-based training like:

  1. Robotic Technology: Robotic technology assists you in performing repetitive motions to regain strength and function of the limbs.
  2. Virtual Reality: This technology lets you interact with a simulated yet real environment using video games and computer-based therapies.
  3. Functional Electrical Stimulation: This type of training contracts your weakened muscles by applying electricity.

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