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Looking to Improve Your Strength & Mobility After a Stroke? Physical Therapy Can Help.

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Are you looking for a physical therapy clinic where you receive a comprehensive stroke rehabilitation program that enables you to reach your highest level of independence? At Connections Physical Therapy in Acton, Fox Hill Village, Grafton, Harvard, Holliston, Leominster, Mansfield, Medway, Millis, Oxford, Pepperell, RiverCourt Residences, Sudbury, Wellesley, and Worchester, MA, our therapists are the leaders in post-stroke rehabilitation!

A stroke can affect multiple aspects of who you are, regardless of your age, resulting in intellectual and physical disabilities, personality changes, balance issues, and more. It is critical to maximize recovery by relearning (or learning) skills for daily living.

We specialize in stroke rehabilitation at Connections Physical Therapy. Hands-on and equipment-based exercise, as well as counseling, are part of our comprehensive physical therapy and speech therapy services, which help patients maximize their physical and cognitive abilities. Contact us to get started on your recovery!

What is a stroke?

A stroke is caused by the sudden death of brain cells due to a lack of oxygen. This occurs when the blood flow to a particular portion of the brain is restricted from a clot or bleed. There are two different types of strokes.

An ischemic stroke occurs when a blood vessel is blocked, typically due to “arteriosclerosis,” which is a buildup of fatty deposits. A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel leaks or ruptures, due to a weakened area of the brain from abnormally-formed blood vessels.

The severity of stroke symptoms are dependent on where it occurred in the brain, the extent of damage and the duration of the stroke. A stroke can affect your cognitive function, speech, the ability to swallow, walk, balance, strength and function. Our therapists are specialized in these areas to provide patients treatment in one setting.

How will Connections Physical Therapy help me recover?

Our therapists have a wealth of knowledge in neurological and movement disorders. We provide physical therapy and speech therapy to adults and children with a wide range of diagnoses.

Some of the best physical therapy practices for helping patients relearn how to walk, use their upper body, and perform daily activities include:

  • Intensive therapy. After a stroke, the brain and body can start recovering immediately and can show improvement up to six months afterwards. A VA study found that for those with persistent disability, intensive physical therapy can provide additional recovery even if the therapy begins a year or more after the stroke.
  • Positioning. Positioning helps a patient with moving from sitting to standing or from sitting to lying down. It’s effective in reducing muscle spasms and stiffness by helping the patient relearn proper positioning of their body.
  • Partial body weight support (BWS). BWS is done to partially support the patient’s body as they walk. This normally takes place on a treadmill. BWS helps a patient relearn the correct way to walk, as the amount of support will be gradually decreased with the improvement of strength, posture, coordination, and balance.
  • Biofeedback. Biofeedback makes patients aware of how their muscles work and how to control them. This is performed by attaching electrodes to the skin and displaying muscle activity on a monitor.
  • Constraint-induced movement therapy. Sometimes, only half of a patient’s body is affected by a stroke. With this type of therapy, a constraint will be placed on the arm on the stronger half of the body. This forces the patient to use the weakened arm to perform tasks, rebuild strength and function.
  • Functional electrical stimulation (FES). FES is performed on weak muscles. It can benefit stiff or painful areas of the body, and makes the muscles move.

How physical therapy can help stroke survivors

Suffering a stroke is associated with multiple medical complications and poor functional outcomes. A good evidence-based, comprehensive rehabilitation program is the key to recovery and independence.

Our physical therapists will start with a thorough evaluation and a movement assessment to identify all the factors contributing to your current functional abilities. This evaluation will determine the severity of weaknesses or limitations that may affect your recovery.

We will use this information to develop a comprehensive program that includes targeted mobility work, gait and balance training, strengthening, and dynamic stability exercises to restore function and prevent falls. We will also incorporate balance and coordination exercises to stimulate the nervous system and help ensure we maximize your recovery.

Give Connections Physical Therapy a call today!

At Connections Physical Therapy, our team of physical therapists are experts at treating stroke-related balance and gait limitations. Call today to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists. We’re looking forward to helping you regain your independence.

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