While many people can do these exercises, those with severe spasticity or paralysis may not yet. Now we’re getting to more difficult arm exercises for stroke patients. Level 3: Moderate Stroke Exercises for the Arms Hold for 20 seconds and return to an upright position. This provides weight bearing into the affected side of your body. Gently lean to the side and feel the stretch. Then, place your affected hand on a cane, and place your other hand on top for stability. A wider base of support gives you more stability. Start by sitting in chair with your legs hip-width apart (for safety) for this arm exercise. The more you move it, the more you improve it! The exercises involve stretching and active-assisted movement, which helps you retrain your brain to use your affected arm again, but with a little help of the other side. These arm exercises should be accessible to most people, including those with post-stroke paralysis. Start where you feel comfortable for continued success. Exercises should always be challenging, but not frustrating. These arm exercises for stroke patients are great for anyone with limited mobility in the upper extremities. Level 2: Easy Arm Exercises for Stroke Patients You can also try using your other arm to lift the affected side straight forward and up. If you would like an additional stretch, turn your head and rotate your trunk to that side. Be mindful of only stretching to a point of stimulation but not pain. Hold this arm stretch for a few seconds before gently releasing.
You can rest the cane on your leg for stability if it’s difficult to hold. Then use your other side to gently lift your affected arm up to the side. For this final upper extremity stretch, hold both ends of a cane. This exercise will help improve the mobility you need to reach over your head (think: reaching for that high shelf or putting on a shirt). It also helps prevent to loss of range-of-motion, contractures, and spasticity.īelow are some great passive exercises for the upper extremities after stroke. In fact, passive exercise is the foundation of effective arm therapy for stroke patients. Many patients with severe arm weakness can slowly regain use of the affected arm after stroke by practicing passive exercises on a consistent basis. Although you aren’t “doing it yourself,” passive movement helps activate neuroplasticity, the process that your brain uses to rewire itself. Passive exercise or active-assisted exercise involves using your non-affected side to help move your affected arm through a movement. To regain motor control after a stroke, you need to stimulate your brain with exercise and movement. The more fun and engaged you are during your exercises, the better! Level 1: Passive Arm Exercises for Stroke Patients with Paralysis
The following arm exercises for stroke patients are arranged from easiest to hardest.Įach exercise includes a picture of a therapist performing the exercise to help guide you. If you prefer written words over video, then keep reading. These are some of the best exercises for the arm and hands after a stroke. Watch Barbara, COTA, guide you through some easy upper limb exercises for post stroke recovery: Video: Arm Exercises from an Occupational Therapistįirst, we’ll start with an arm rehab exercise video from Barbara, who works in occupational therapy. Stroke patients with hemiparesis (weakness, not paralysis, in the affected side) can use the first levels as a warm up then progress to more difficult exercises as movement emerges. The first levels are designed for patients with more limited arm mobility, or hemiplegia (paralysis of one side of the body). That’s why we organized these stroke exercises for your arm into 5 difficulty levels depending on how much control or mobility you currently have. Just like how different types of strokes can affect different parts of your body, the severity can also vary. If this sounds like something you’d like to work on, give these 15 hand and arm exercises for stroke patients a try! Depending on the type of stroke you experienced, it may have affected your arm strength and mobility.
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