Post-stroke Rehabilitation

A person is having a stroke when there is an interruption of blood flow to the brain. Function is rapidly lost requiring emergency medical care, but what many patients do not realize is that intensive rehabilitation starts in the acute care setting within 24-48 hours of having a stroke. According to statistics from the National Stroke Association, 10% of those who suffer from a stoke recover almost completely, 25% with minor impairments and 40% suffer from moderate to severe impairments that require special care.

Podiatrists typically start seeing stroke patients 2+ months post-stroke. This is known as the rehabilitation phase for encouraging better lower limb function, typically within a year of the stroke. Some patients only seek podiatric care more than a year post-stroke, once they have regained or relearned most of their functional movement through rehabilitation. However, this delay may lead to additional time and therapy to stimulate and rehabilitate the muscles to a greater extent.

Podiatry can improve post stroke function using devices, footwear modifications, or in clinic interventions. It is difficult to achieve significant improvement after a period of 12 months and more post-stroke, and it is likely that podiatric devices inside and outside of the footwear will be needed to improve walking. Nerve stimulation therapies can also help patients who are experiencing weakness, pain or altered sensations in the lower limbs post stroke.