After stroke, some patients often lose basic walking ability. Therefore, it has become the most urgent desire of patients to restore their walking function. Some patients may even want to restore their original walking ability completely. However, without formal and complete rehabilitation training, patients often have abnormal walking and standing postures. Still, there are many patients cannot walk independently and need help from family members.
The above walking posture of patients is called hemiplegic gait.
Three “DON’T” Principles of Stroke Rehabilitation
1. Don’t be eager to walk.
Rehabilitation training after stroke is actually a process of relearning. If a patient is eager to practice walking with the help of his/her family just when he can sit and stand, then the patient will definitely have limb compensation, and that is easy to result in wrong gait and walking patterns. Although some patients do restore good walking ability using this training method, most patients cannot get better within a few months after onset. If walk by force, they are likely to have problems.
Walking needs stability and balance. After stroke, patients’ balance ability will be affected because of the abnormal movement and feeling of the dysfunction limb. If we regard walking as the left and the right leg standing alternately, then in order to ensure a good walking posture, we need to keep a short-term one leg balance with good hip and knee joint control ability. Otherwise, there may be gait instability, stiff knees, and other abnormal symptoms.
2. Don’t walk before the basic function and strength are restored.
The basic self-control function and basic muscle strength can enable patients to independently raise their feet to complete ankle dorsiflexion, improve their joint range of motion, reduce their muscle tension, and stabilize their balance ability. Adhere to the training of basic function, basic muscle strength, muscle tension, and joint range of motion before starting walking training.
3. Don’t walk without scientific guidance.
In walking training, it’s a must to think twice before “walking”. The basic principle is trying to avoid abnormal posture and developing incorrect walking habits. Walking function training after stroke is not just simple “core training movements”, but a complex and dynamic rehabilitation training program which need to be adjusted according to the state of patients, so as to prevent the emergence of hemiplegic gait or reduce the adverse effects of hemiplegic gait on patients. To restore the “good-looking” walking style, scientific and gradual rehabilitation training plan is the only option.
Read more:
Can Stroke Patients Restore Self-Care Ability?
Limb Function Training for Stroke Hemiplegia
Application of Isokinetic Muscle Training in Stroke Rehabilitation
Post time: Apr-07-2021