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What do I do now...?

COURSE OPTION 1: HOURLY TRAINING IN YOUR AREA. Look for the help of an Instructor near you who can help you every few days or every week, independently or in a group class. Contact the Trust for matching and assessment.

Now you know what we can offer you in terms of after-stroke support, you need also to be aware that the Trust is training Instructors all the time. To find your nearest ARNI Trainer, wherever you live around the UK, please call 07712 211378 or use the map in the Find An Instructor page. Please phone the Trust and use the matching service provided. This way, we can provide you with the proper assessment service. In one or two areas, there are many more trainers than are listed on the map (eg. Newcastle and surrounding areas). They prefer us to contact them directly with your details.

COURSE OPTION 2: MASSED PRACTICE WITH ARNI. There is the option of arranging a one to one 2-day workshop with the arni Director at the ARNI base in Surrey.

We know that some people may live in places where they simply cannot reach anyone who has been trained in ARNI techniques. If this is the case, or you want just to train intensively with the founder of the ARNI techniques based around your own diary, please email for one to one 2-day courses with the Director. This is all about massed practice - a very effective way to train. Please read the article highlighted in the link.

Overall course cost is kept as low as possible - phone for details. ARNI Base is a 45 min direct train ride from Victoria station, London. If you live far from Surrey, you can spend 1 or 2 nights at a local 4 star disabled-friendly hotel (who kindly lower cost for visitors to ARNI to a very acceptable level). We typically offer 6 or so of these per year if persuaded! Please click here to email for this service. We can then try and match you up with a trainer here, if appropriate.

Sample Testimonials and Blogs

Many stroke survivors have decided to thank us for successful rehabilitation by writing testimonials of the time that they were with us. These are great indications of the personalised care you will receive at ARNI. A sample of these are put up online here.These are are valuable sources of real-life experiences, and indicative of what you can expect from ARNI.

There are no miracles here, only the successes (and failures) that came about when determined people made the effort and said to themselves 'I'm not going to stay like this anymore...' . They researched the alternatives, decided that these looked or sounded ineffective, took the decision to train with us, and most importantly, STAYED. They stayed because they grew to enjoy the process of working hard towards their own rehabilitation. Others wanted to take only two days or so of an intensive course/

We feel that not one of these people did not recognise, by the end of the period that they chose to stay at ARNI, that the effort they put in whilst on the course translated directly towards their own progress in terms of functional improvement in movement, and increasing strength in both body and mind.

2010 External Clinical Trials

Here will be listed ongoing external Clincal Trials whose leads have asked ARNI to highlight their work in order that members of the public can apply in order to be involved with research: to receive the intervention(s) and accompanying therapy if appropriate.

1. The first of these is a request from colleagues at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London:

A study to test if botulinum toxin can improve the ability of stroke patients to 'let go' of grasped objects'

download links: advert poster full patient information sheet

Please apply if you have read the advert (and full patient information sheet as appropriate) and think you would like to be involved.

ARNI recommends...

This quarter, ARNI recommends the Lincoln Ankle Brace for training and unobtrusive support for dropped foot while walking around. Most of our stroke survivors, once introduced to its benefits, stop using plastic orthotics straight away. GET YOUR SUPPORT from Pro-Medics - down load the catalogue here (PRO-MEDICS) and go to page 33 for details.

Give them a call to tell them which side you need the support for. It is a spiral support made from neoprene, so it just looks like an ordinary sports-injury support, and can be worn comfortably all day inside a shoe without you even noticing it. Perfect... (and we are not even being paid by Pro-Medics to tell you this!) This kind of strap is ONLY available from this company, as far as we can tell. If we recommend a product like this, believe us, it is worth having a look at. Tell them ARNI sent you.

Most ARNI Instructors are actively working with a couple of stroke survivors each, usually one a one to one basis. There are far too many applicants to mention, but mentioned here are some dedicated regulars who are proud of ARNI and have asked us to put their names up on our site. So we have!

Mary (73) is training well with Jo in Caterham - Jo is at the Village Health Club - and is taking 3 other stroke survivors.

Jake (12) from Calfornia is our best boy of the year (see photo). We are so proud of the way he is responding to ARNI-style training, and his loving parents and sisters (and dog!) have earned our great respect and admiration. Jake WILL succeed.

Rosie (47), from Brighton, is working hard on her parectic arm: she wants to send a message to other stroke survivors reading the ARNI website that '... it can be done... lots and lots of repetions will help you reduce spasticity. Definitely find an ARNI trainer who has been through the L4 course to show you how to do this'. Thanks Sandra...your praise of our instructors is very kind... I know you will achieve as much function as you can with that hand.

Tim (26) from Walthamstow is training with the Director - and will his goal is to do mixed martial arts again. You will Tim.

Simon (46) is training with Bill Bridgeman: he is progressing brilliantly, and has moved in a couple of months from staning for a few minutes by himself, to walking unaided and moving onto a weights programme! Go Simon!!

Adaeze (25), from Chiswick is training with the Director and is supported dedicatedly by Amy. Adaeze has a great spirit and is, without doubt, going to get those fingers to be fully functional again.

Kane (15), from Brands Hatch, had a stroke when he was 2. Now he is training with the Director, Tom. Kane is doing amazingly well, and in three weeks of training has found his hand movements have become significantly smoother, and worked up to lifting a 50kg dumbell from the floor for two strict deadlifts the other day - incredible! Go Kane!

Watch out for Kane: he is setting up the ARNI Trust Facebook channel - more details to follow.

Leiske (31) from Royal Leamington Spa -is one of our favourite original ARNI stroke survivors from 2002. Unfortunately had another stroke in 2007 and cannot travel Luckily we were match her with our Instructor, Bill Bridgeman. A student from Middlesex University, Gemma, is also travellling to see her every week to shadow our Instructor.

Peter (58) from Dorset, is currently training with Instructor Darren Essex.

Tim (28) from Cambridge, is training well with Instructor Chris Corocan.

Pat (58) from Reading, had a stroke over 2 years ago, and is enjoying her training with Instructor Sally Furnell.

Nari (25) from Southall, West London, who had a spinal cord injury nine years ago.

Cheryl (52) from Catford, South East London, who suffered a severe stroke three years ago

Graham (56) is training at Acton, and is proving to be very dedicated on the training mat- in the first two weeks, he has learned how to get up and down from the floor, and after two months is walking without his two sticks. He also supports ARNI by putting flyers everywhere and visiting hospitals and associations on our behalf. Thanks Graham...

Wayne (34) has started training in Isleworth (October) and is probably our most dedicated trainee yet. He is very able - and demonstrated this on his first day with 50 finger-tip press-ups! Awesome stuff, and considering his time in a coma, a shining example of what can be done with internal motivation to get better.

Claire is our latest member at ARNI in May, and in her first two sessions she learned how to get up from the ground (in three different ways!) She is a big star, and she is going to show what can be done when a seriously motivated person comes to train with the full intention of recovering her former movement. You will succeed.

Paul, Kevin and Richard are among those who have just joined ARNI in July. Paul comes all the way from Leighton Buzzard to the class.
Margot Montague from Stratford has joined the class in Isleworth, and is already benefitting greatly from the free class and acupuncture. Well done for your dedication towards your own progress Margot, and for your support of ARNI outside training.

Linda Michaels from Bedfont, Middlesex is already doing extremely well with the group class, and has a great attitude, Go for it Linda - we know you are going to rebuild yourself in no time.

Jeremy Waters from Twickenham is also responding well in the group class - and we never see him complaining. Good stuff.

Tom Francis has just started at the Borough Green training centre. Go for it Tom -looking forward to seeing your progress.

Katie MacQueen has just joined the Isleworth centre, and she also lives just down the road. We have a feeling that she is going to do really well if she does the training outside aswell. Go Katie!

Sheila Martin has started training with Andy Fox in Borough Green. Welcome, Sheila - we hope ARNI helps you to rebuild the way you want to.

Paul Edgar comes from Dartford, and luckily we have an instructor in Dartford, so he doesn't have to go far! Hope your rehabilitation with ARNI goes well Paul - you are going to be a major success.

Russ Morgan drives from Bristol and back every week to in Isleworth, near Richmond.