STROKE

Stroke

Burlington Physiotherapy Can Help With Stroke

WE ARE EXPERTS IN MANAGING PATIENTS WITH A BRAIN ATTACK!

Have you been diagnosed with s stroke? Are you struggling to change positions in bed, sit upright or stand up without help? Do you find your knee tends to buckle when walking? Is your affected foot always slapping the ground when walking? Are you still unable to use your affected hand after the stroke? Our physiotherapists are skilled at complex movements and able to help the brain create pathways for more successful movements.

Stop struggling with the after effects of your stroke, we at Cogent Physical Rehabilitation Center in Burlington are eager to join you on your road to recovery as soon as possible so you can return to the life you love!

Make an appointment today with a physiotherapist in Burlington at Cogent Rehab to learn more about how we can assist you.

SIGNS OF A STROKE

F FACE

Is It Drooping?

A ARMS

Can You Raise Both?

S SPEECH

Is It Slurred Or Jumbled?

T TIME

Time to Call 9-1-1

WHAT IS A STROKE?

A stroke happens when blood stops flowing to any part of your brain causing damage to your brain cells. The effects of the stroke depends on the part of the brain that was damaged and the amount of damage done. The brain is the control centre of your body. It controls how you think, how you feel, how you communicate and how you move. Knowing how your brain works can help you understand your stroke.

Stroke can be caused either by a clot obstructing the flow of blood to the brain (known as ischemic stroke), by a blood vessel rupturing and preventing blood flow to the brain (known as hemorrhagic stroke) or a transient ischemic attack (TIA), or "mini stroke" caused by a temporary clot.

Ischemic Stroke

Hemorrhagic Stroke

Transient Ischemic Attack

An ischemic stroke occurs when a vessel supplying blood to the brain is obstructed. It accounts for about 87% of all strokes.

A lot of strokes are caused by a blockage or clot in a blood vessel in the brain. This is known as ischemic stroke. The main cause of ischemic stroke is atherosclerosis, or fatty deposits (plaque) that line the walls of bloods leading to blockage. The blockage or clot continues to grow as blood cells and fat cells stick to the plaque. Overtime, the clot grows big enough to block normal blood flow. The blockage or clot can form in an artery in your brain or in an artery in another part of your body which then travels to the brain.

An hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a weakened vessel ruptures and bleeds into the surrounding brain. It accounts for about 13% of stroke cases.

Hemorrhagic stroke is caused when an artery in the brain breaks open. The blood accumulates and compresses the surrounding brain tissue. This interrupts blood flow and leads to brain cells death and subsequent to injury to the brain. High blood pressure makes arteries weak over time and accounts for most hemorrhagic stroke. Weak spots in the arteries called aneurysms can stretch too far and eventually burst. The two types of hemorrhagic strokes are intracerebral hemorrhage (within the brain) or subarachnoid hemorrhage (between the inner and outer layers of the tissue covering the brain).

A transient ischemic attack, or TIA, is a temporary blockage of blood flow to the brain. The clot usually dissolves on its own or gets dislodged, and the symptoms usually last less than five minutes.

A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is caused by a small clot that blocks an artery very briefly. TIA symptoms disappear completely within 24 hours (usually within one hour).
Although, a TIA doesn’t cause permanent damage, it’s a “warning stroke” signaling a possible full-blown stroke ahead. When you first notice symptoms, call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number immediately, do not wait even if the symptoms go away.

Physical Effects Of A Stroke

SPASTICITY

Spasticity is a very common condition that causes stiff or rigid muscles after a stroke. It occurs when a muscle involuntarily contracts when you move. It commonly affects the elbow, wrist and ankle. When a muscle can’t complete its full range of motion, the surrounding tendons and soft tissue tend to become tight.

This makes stretching the muscle much more difficult. If left untreated, spasticity can also make the joints in the arm and leg to become stuck or frozen in an abnormal and usually painful position, called contractures.

HEMIPARESIS

Hemiparesis can be described as weakness or the inability to move one side of the body, making it hard to perform everyday activities like walking.

One-sided weakness in your arms, hands, face, chest, legs or feet can cause:

Loss of balance
Difficulty walking
Difficulty grabbing objects
Decrease in movement precision
Muscle fatigue
Poor coordination

The area where stroke occurred in the brain determines the location of weakness. Injury to the left side of the brain, which controls language and speaking, leads to right-sided weakness. Weakness on the right side is due to injury affecting the right side of the brain, which controls nonverbal communication and certain behaviors.

FATIGUE

Many people that have survived a stroke survivors experience a lot of mental and physical fatigue. Symptoms can include difficulty with self-control, emotions, memory. Feeling tired even after a good night’s sleep or when performing tasks that require physical or mental focus is often reported.

Post-stroke fatigue occurs without warning and makes it harder to do daily and routine activities. Poor sleep due to a stroke affects stroke survivors. In fact, 50% to 70% of stroke patients have sleep related breathing disturbances and 27% had prolonged nighttime sleep or excessive daytime sleepiness.

FOOT DROP

Foot drop is a common walking complication caused by stroke. People with foot drop are unable to raise the front part of the foot because of weakness or paralysis of the muscle that normally lifts it. This leads to difficulty “clearing” the foot when walking with dragging or scuffing along the ground. Foot drop can also cause poor positioning and unsteadiness of the ankle and knee in standing with loss of balance. Stroke survivors typically compensate by adjusting the way they walk using a “Steppage gait” (excessive bending of the hip and knee to raise the foot higher) or a “Circumduction gait” (straight leg swings to the side in a semicircle to move forward). This results in slower walking, fatigue at short distances, pain and lots of falls.

CLAW TOES

Stroke survivors experience that their toes begin curling under their feet on the stroke side. This makes walking very painful. This condition is called Claw Toe because the muscles in the foot which are typically not very strong over-contract due to a neurological abnormality. The contracting muscle overpowers the muscles in the toe which tightens the tendons, causing the joints of the smaller toes to buckle or curl in an unnatural way. Painful blisters may develop on the affected toes. In addition, calluses or corns form on the ball of the foot from the added pressure of muscle imbalance.

PAIN

Stroke survivors often experience pain after their strokes. Whatever the level of pain, it can compromise quality of life for patient and caregiver alike. Pain is one of the most poorly understood complications after a stroke. It is commonly under-reported, under-diagnosed and undertreated. Yet, it affects about 30% - 40% of stroke survivors. Post-stroke pain can include headache, muscle and joint pain, shoulder pain and neuropathic (nerve) pain. Symptoms of post stroke pain includes numbness, tingling, burning, aching, joint stiffness and changes in skin color.

Physiotherapy Is Necessary To Regain Normal Movement After A Stroke!

Rehabilitation after a stroke is a very long process and physiotherapy can help you recover from the physical effects of a Stroke including spasticity, hemiparesis, foot drop, claw toe, pain, loss of balance and fine motor skills. Recovery can take several months or can continue to happen over a longer period of time.

Our Physiotherapists have extensive training in the use of therapeutic exercise, the NDT/Bobath Approach, Custom Splinting and Chronic Disease Management to help you recover from the physical effects of a Stroke or brain attack.

SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO OBTAIN RELIEF FROM THE PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF A STROKE TODAY

Our physiotherapy clinic in Burlington will help you alleviate your pain, regain mobility, improve standing balance, strength and overall function and ensure energy efficient and pain-free movements for return to your pre-stroke life as much as possible.

Schedule an appointment with us today, and we will get book you for a comprehensive assessment and personalized treatment plan.

Visit Our Burlington Physiotherapy Clinic For Relief From Post Stroke Physical Effects!

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