Physical Therapist and patient doing gait training
My physical therapist tells me that one of the most insulting things he faces is the lack of respect that he gets regarding the level of education necessary to get his postgraduate degree. Some people have gone so far as to ask: “So… did you take couple classes at the junior college to become a physical therapist?” (more…)
It is quite common to struggle with “Brain Fog” or “Stroke Brain” after a stroke.
I feel it every single day. I read daily and play crossword puzzles, but I still have that numb, deer-in-headlights sensation. It feels like I just took a serious pummeling with a heavy feather pillow – and a major league baseball player was holding the pillow. I am not in any pain, but my brain feels like it’s wrapped in heavy cotton. So how do you exercise your brain after a stroke? You give it a challenge. My personal favorite is chess.
Dragon Anywhere Voice Recognition App for Mobile Devices
Since my first stroke over two years ago, I have been unable to make my dominant hand do anything useful, let alone write. I do exercises every single day but still have not regained functionality. I also practice writing with my left hand every day, but it has become obvious to me that it will take a while before I can write past the elementary school level.
Not one to admit defeat, I turn to technology to solve my writing problem. (more…)
Proper Technique Matters
When I was in acute rehab, in-home rehab, and then later in outpatient rehab, my therapists were constantly correcting me on my walking technique. (more…)
The Plastic Fantastic Brain: Rewiring the Mind, FREE on Amazon Video (1:26): http://amzn.to/2hYDklY
The Plastic Fantastic Brain is a fascinating documentary video that tells the story of 4 case studies conducted by researchers in the field of Neuroplasticity. (more…)
Bet on recovery.
I’ll begin with a question: If I told you that if you do your therapy exercises for a couple of hours every single day, every week, for weeks and months, for several years – and as a result, you’d only have a 10% chance of recovery, would you do them? Suppose I told you that not doing your therapy exercises at all would result in a 0% chance of recovery? (more…)
Sports Massage for Pain Relief
The most effective pain relief that I have found, without exception, has been massage. Not just any massage – there are many, many types. I mean Sports Massage. (more…)
I’ve been visiting chiropractors for over 35 years. In that time, I have learned a thing or two. In my view, there are two types of chiropractors: (more…)
Image from Clive Barker’s Hellraiser Movies: http://www.clivebarker.info/filmsindex.html
If you are experiencing pain or spasticity or muscle cramping as a result of your stroke, then you may want to consider Acupuncture. The Chinese have been practicing acupuncture for thousands of years. Western medicine is paying attention too, and acupuncture is even covered by major insurance plans. (more…)
Emerging Treatments for Motor Rehabilitation After Stroke, by Edward S. Claflin, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Michigan. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4357600/
Some very innovative and out-of-the-box solutions are being examined by the medical community for rehabilitation of lost motor functions in stroke victims. (more…)
Shoulder Pain
You won’t find any medical advice on this site because I am not a medical professional in any way shape or form. But I can share my experience with shoulder pain and how I solved it: (more…)