Stroke rehabilitation

Objective: A review of the basic concepts of stroke rehabilitation that are worth emphasizing to all practitioners who treat patients with stroke. Also, suggestions are made for patients on how to functionally cope with daily activities after they have experienced a stroke. Methods: Numerous articles that discuss stroke rehabilitation and recovery were reviewed and emphasized throughout this paper. Results: The multidisciplinary approach of incorporating expertise from the realms of physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy along with optimal medical care continues to be viewed as advantageous. Coordination by a physician with expertise in neurorehabilitation is also an important aspect of successful stroke rehabilitation. Such expertise takes the form of realistic expectations about recovery based upon performance of serial functional assessment scales, knowledge about the size and location of the stroke or strokes, incorporation of any cognitive or emotional detriments to recovery, as well as acknowledgement of medical comorbid factors. The care plan must also institute effective measures to protect against recurrent stroke, as stroke patients are generally at significant risk for further ischemic or hemorrhagic events. Conclusion: Stroke rehabilitation should begin during the patient's hospital admission. Obviously, the degree of recovery is impacted by the age of the patient, the magnitude of the initial deficit, the medical condition of the patient, the motivation of the patient and family members, the risk of recurrent stroke as well as the quality of the stroke rehabilitation process. There are numerous assistive devices available to stroke patients that can help them adjust to their new post-stroke lifestyle. [Neurol Res 2009; 31: 832-840]