Stroke Physical Therapy: What it Involves

In the United States each year, an estimated 700,000 people suffer a stroke. The majority of stroke victims survive, with the approximate statistics as high as two-thirds. However the majority also require rehabilitation and stroke physical therapy to get their life back as close to the way it was before their stroke as possible. Physical therapists are required to undergo extensive education and training, and must be licensed by the state. Those who specialize in stroke victims often receive additional specialized training in this area.

Because a stroke affects the brain, damage and disability to the patient can be varied and significant. The type of rehabilitation required will depend on the part of the brain that received damage from the stroke incident. Stroke may cause movement problems or paralysis, pain and/or sensory disturbances, difficulty speaking and/or understanding others, memory problems and even severe emotional distress. Some patients may have more effects than others, it all depends on the severity of the attack and location in the brain where the stroke occurs. The faster help is obtained the faster damage can be halted.

Rehabilitation from a stroke is often a team effort, and includes not only a physical therapist but also a physician, neurologist, speech therapist and occupational therapist. Occupational therapy helps patients function in the real world, for example they may re-learn how to get dressed, bathe themselves, feed themselves and even perform job duties. The exact rehabilitation plan will vary from patient to patient and should be designed with their individual needs in mind. The road back from a stroke may not be an easy one but there are many options when it comes to recovery.

If you are researching stroke physical therapy you should know that there are a variety of places victims of stroke can go to seek help. There are inpatient rehabilitation programs made for the most severe cases, individuals who have just suffered stroke, and those who cannot obtain the treatment they need from an outpatient facility or at home. Then there are nursing home facilities, outpatient therapy programs and even home-based therapy programs. These programs will use a multifaceted treatment regimen to help the patient regain as much function and independence as they possibly can.

You Can Be Me -- A Career in Physical Therapy (APTA)

 

 

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