Post-Stroke Rehabilitation in South Africa

Stroke rehabilitation might include some or all of the following activities, based on the area of the body or kind of ability affected.

Physical activities:

• Strengthening motor skills entails using workouts to improve your muscle coordination and strength, which include therapy to assist with swallowing.
• Mobility training might include learning to use walking aids, like canes or a walker to help and stabilize ankle strength to help support the weight of your body while you relearn how to walk.
• Constraint-induced therapy also called forced-use therapy, entails limiting the use of an unaffected limb while you exercise moving the affected limb to improve its function.
• Range-of-motion therapy makes use of workouts and other treatments to help in reducing muscle tension (spasticity) and get back ability to move.

• Functional electrical stimulation entails using electricity to stimulate worn-down muscles, which causes them to contract.
• Robotic technology makes use of robotic gadgets to help impaired limbs with carrying out recurring motions, assisting them to get back function and strength.
• Wireless technology, like a simple activity monitor, is being analyzed for its benefit in improving post-stroke activity.
• Virtual reality, like the using video games, is a surfacing, computer-based therapy, which entails interacting with a simulated, real-time environment.
• Noninvasive brain stimulation. Methods like transcranial magnetic stimulation have been used with some good results to improve various motor skills.

• Therapy for communication conditions may help you get back lost abilities in comprehension, listening, speaking and writing.
• Psychological assessment and treatment might include testing your emotional adjustment and cognitive skills, counseling with a mental health specialist, or being a part of support groups.
• Medications are often used to treat depression in those who have had a stroke. Drugs, which affect movement, are as well used.

• Biological therapies, like stem cells, are being researched, but must only be used as part of a clinical trial.
• Alternative medicine treatments, like acupuncture, massage, and herbal therapy, are being analyzed.

When must stroke rehabilitation start?

The earlier you start stroke rehabilitation, the better chance you are to get back lost skills and abilities.

How long does stroke rehabilitation last?

The length of each therapy session differs based on your responsiveness to therapy, the severity of your symptoms and recovery.

Where does stroke rehabilitation occur?

You may start stroke rehabilitation while you are still in the hospital. The ideal rehabilitation environment is determined by what is most suitable for you and your family, what insurance will cover, and your needs. These options are:

• Inpatient rehabilitation units
• Outpatient units
• Skilled nursing facilities
• Home-based programs

Stroke rehabilitation will involve various professionals.

• Physicians
• Physical therapists
• Rehabilitation nurses
• Occupational therapists

Other professionals concentrate on vocational, cognitive and emotional skills, which include:

• Language and speech pathologists
• Dietitians
• Social workers
• Vocational counselors
• Therapeutic recreation professionals
• Psychologists

Successful stroke rehabilitation is determined by:

• Physical factors, which include the extent of your stroke with regards to both physical and cognitive effects
• Emotional factors, like your mood and motivation, and your ability to follow rehabilitation activities outside of therapy sessions
• Social factors like the support of family and friends
• Therapeutic factors, which include an early start to your rehabilitation along with the expertise of your stroke rehabilitation team