Intensive Functional Stroke Rehabilitation

Our intensive stroke rehab program

While patients typically receive physical, occupational and/or speech therapies immediately following a brain injury, many patients continue to live with residual impairments once their formal therapy ends. Oftentimes the patient has been told that they have reached a plateau in their functional recovery, and that this is “as good as it’s going to get”.  Traditional therapies are often dictated by insurance companies.

There is a growing body of evidence showing that individualized and specific neuromuscular retraining can help persons who have had strokes or traumatic brain injuries to improve strength, balance, and movements even years after the brain injury. Training focuses on a return to activities that the person could do before the stroke, such as bathing, grooming, walking, and other activities safely.

Functional therapy is basically using the body as we need to in the real world. We combine lifting, squatting, sitting, turning, walking, and other repetitive movement patterns in a safe, controlled environment with one-on-one supervision. This helps the client to become more independent, stronger, and less likely to fall or injure themselves in the future.

The goal of our intensive neuromuscular re-education program is to help everyone regain as much independence and mobility as possible after a brain injury. Outcomes are largely dependent upon the beginning physical state of the client, as well as motivation, completion of homework, and goals. For the client in a wheelchair, their goal for their first time at the program may be simply to have better strength and balance to get from the chair to the toilet or other chair. For the more ambulatory client, the goal may be to play golf or climb onto a boat again.

Typically clients who have had a stroke will develop paresis, or weakness, on one side of the body. However, it is possible that only the arm or leg has been affected. Our intensive training program can focus on upper extremity, lower extremity, or both during the training sessions. Trainings times will typically be approximately 3-4 hours daily for 12 days, with built-in rest breaks. Caregivers are encouraged, but not required, to attend to observe the session to carry-over training portions for homework.

Exercises are specifically chosen and administered based on patient's goals, history, limitations, hobbies, and clinical relevance. The exercises are completed using the patient’s body, stability devices, therapy bands, and many real world components (chairs, walkways, stairs, etc). By combining components of sports medicine, physical training, and movement re-education, the human body is capable of amazing adaptations and recovery due to neuroplasticity after a life-altering traumatic event, such as a stroke or traumatic brain injury. Functional rehabilitation focuses not only on being able to walk a certain distance, but on being able to walk that distance using proper gait patterns, with decreased pain, and without the aid of a device such as a walker or cane.

By safely integrating balance and coordination exercises, functional movement patterns, and physical strengthening, the client is capable of quickly regaining a higher level of functionality in daily activities.

Other components of functional rehab include but are not limited to:

-Addressing flexibility and mobility
-Myofascial Therapeutic massage and other manual therapy
-Cardiovascular Conditioning
-Neuromuscular Re-education of Movement
-Gait Training
-Patient education
-Strengthening and conditioning
-Nutrition

Caregiver Training
We also have designed a less-intensive program for caregivers. As a caregiver, you are often the person assisting the client at home and in the community. Our program will train you better body mechanics and strengthening to decrease your strain and possibility of injury.