Posts Tagged A Stroke
Treadmill Training For Stroke Patients
Stroke victims are getting treadmill training to increase their recovery and ability to walk better. Treadmill training for stroke patients is not a new theory, but is becoming more popular with physical therapists. A recent study of patients with the therapy is called gait training strategy for patients who have suffered a stroke. This form of treadmill training for stroke patients is intended to increase walking speed.
The theory is based on sport physiology training where the speed of the treadmill is administered in progressive treadmill training combined with conventional physical therapy training and neuromuscular treatments. Conventional Rehabilitation therapy has proven ineffective in restoring the normal stride or gait to many individuals who have suffered from a stroke. Trying to rehabilitate these individuals by traditional means was proven to have major short comings. These means did not restore a normal smooth walk.
A clinical study was conducted to test and refine a specific protocol using treadmill training for stroke victims with hemiparesis (partial paralysis or weakness on one side of the body). The purpose of the study was to provide clinical data that this type of treadmill training would improve certain aspects of the walking ability of stroke patients.
The study would determine conclusively whether the speed training on the treadmill will restore what researchers call “volitional gait” to victims of a stroke. The study identified that there were certain ways that people who were not stroke victims walked versus the stride or gait of those individuals who were in fact suffering some paralysis as a result of a stroke. The differences in the gait were considered walking deficiencies.
At the end of the study, there were specific gains for the stroke victims that included:
- Added strength – Increasing strength improves gait
- Increased coordination – Repetitive actions retrain the brain
- Gait Improvement – Stride of patients improved to near normal levels
There is a direct correlation between muscle strength and maximum gait - Kinematics – In human movement, Kinematics is described as the science of motion.
- Walking endurance – Increased strength improved the cardiovascular system
- Overall improvement in quality of life: Patients were able to walk securely and safely performing everyday tasks
The promise of the study that providing the speed training using a treadmill will orient the muscles of the legs with the rapid movement. By repeating this treadmill exercise process on a daily basis the mind and body would benefit in concert by the repetitive movements.
The strength of the limbs improved because of the exercise on the treadmill. Sport physiology training was used. Sports physiology emphasizes rehearsing the body for actions.
This technique of sprinting to start the treadmill therapy was used to acclimate the patients to the equipment. The speed was then increased progressively. The same basic principals worked to stimulate the motor skills of the patients in the study. The coordination of the patients improved by re teaching the limbs to react to certain stimulus.
These exercises that the stroke patients were involved in were considered task oriented exercise. These types of exercises explore a new way to improve the gait of stoke victims. The treadmill program emphasized safety of the patients. It was very important to insure that the patients did not overtire themselves as they may have had other medical issues that needed to be considered.
The basic premise presented is that a person who has suffered from a stroke has a different speed of walking than a normal non stroke victim. So by giving the stroke victim a daily task oriented immersion is strength training of the limbs on the treadmill, the limbs became stronger and thereby increase or improved the the maximum gait speed. So a direct correlation was made between muscle
strength and the gait.
The study offers a new way for stroke victims to regain a level of mobility and offers far reaching implications in the treatments that can improve the quality of life.
Tags: A Stroke, Brain, Exercise, Gait, Patients, Physical Therapy, Strength Training, Stroke, Stroke Patient, Stroke Patients, Stroke Victim, Stroke Victims, Therapy, Treadmill, Treadmill Training, VascularRelated posts
Stroke – Definition, Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
Stroke is a disease that affects the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain. Without blood to supply oxygen and nutrients and to remove waste products, brain cells quickly begin to die. Stroke is sometimes called a “brain attack. Stroke is a medical emergency and can cause permanent neurological damage or even death if not promptly diagnosed and treated. It is the third leading cause of death and the leading cause of adult disability in the United States and industrialized European nations. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and the leading cause of disability. Stroke kills about 150, 000 Americans each year, or almost one out of three stroke victims. Strokes affect blacks more often than whites, and are more likely to be fatal among blacks. Men have more strokes than women. But, women have a risk of stroke during pregnancy and the weeks immediately after pregnancy. The cause of stroke is an interruption in the blood supply, with a resulting depletion of oxygen and glucose in the affected area. This immediately reduces or abolishes neuronal function, and also initiates an ischemic cascade which causes neurons to die or be seriously damaged, further impairing brain function. Risk factors for stroke include advanced age, hypertension (high blood pressure), previous stroke or TIA (transient ischaemic attack), diabetes mellitus, high cholesterol, cigarette smoking, atrial fibrillation, migraine with aura, and thrombophilia. Practice blood pressure is the most important modifiable risk factor of stroke.
Many other risk factors, such as cigarette smoking cessation and treatment of atrial fibrillation with anticoagulant drugs, are important. There are two main types of stroke. One (ischemic stroke) is caused by blockage of a blood vessel. Usually this type of stroke results from clogged arteries, a condition called atherosclerosis. Fatty deposits collect on the wall of the arteries, forming a sticky substance called plaque. Other (hemorrhagic stroke) is caused by bleeding. Bleeding strokes have a much higher fatality rate than strokes caused by clots. Some people have defects in the blood vessels of the brain that make this more likely. The flow of blood after the blood vessel ruptures damages brain cells. Hemorrhage (or bleeding) from an artery in the brain can be caused by a head injury or a burst aneurysm. Aneurysms are blood-filled pouches that balloon out from weak spots in the artery wall. They’re often caused or made worse by high blood pressure. Aneurysms aren’t always dangerous, but if one bursts in the brain, they cause a hemorrhagic stroke.Symptoms of a stroke include sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body; sudden confusion or trouble speaking or understanding speech; sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes; sudden trouble with walking, dizziness, or loss of balance or coordination and sudden severe headache.
There are several available treatments for Stroke. Oxygen may be given to be sure that your brain is getting the maximal amount. Taking birth control pills is generally safe for young, healthy women. Treatment of blood pressure that is too high or too low may be necessary in treating a stroke. Ischemic stroke is treated by removing obstruction and restoring blood flow to the brain. A patient is given antiplatelet medication (aspirin, clopidogrel, dipyridamole), or anticoagulant medication (warfarin), dependent on the cause, when this type of stroke has been found. TPA is most important new treatments over the last few years for the immediate treatment of a stroke is a medicine called tPA(Tissue Plasminogen Activator). use of Heparin and Aspirin drugs to thin the blood (anticoagulation; for example, heparin) are also sometimes used in treating stroke patients in the hopes of improving the patient’s recovery. Rehabilitation can also take place at a nursing facility. The rehabilitation process can include some or all of the following:
- Speech therapy to relearn talking and swallowing;
- Occupational therapy to regain dexterity in the arms and hands;
- Physical therapy to improve strength and walking; and
- Family education to orient them in caring for their loved one at home and the challenges they will face.
Related posts