For millions of women, combined hormonal contraceptives are a part of their daily life – providing a convenient and effective option for preventing pregnancy and managing their menstrual cycle. But new findings are sounding the alarm on a serious, and often overlooked, risk: stroke.
According to recent findings presented at the European Stroke Organisation Conference, combined oral hormonal contraceptives (which contains both oestrogen and progestogen) may significantly increase the chance of women experiencing a cryptogenic stroke. This is a sudden and serious type of stroke that occurs with no obvious cause.
Surprisingly, in younger adults – particularly women – cryptogenic strokes make up approximately 40% of all strokes. This suggests there may be sex-specific factors which contribute to this risk – such as hormonal contraception use. These recently-presented findings lend themselves to this theory.
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#strokeexercise #neurorehabilitation #strokerehab #arnistrokerehab #strokerecovery #strokerehabilitation #neurorehab #neuroplasticity #strokerecoveryexercises
At this year’s conference, researchers presented findings from the Secreto study. This is an international investigation that has been conducted into the causes of unexplained strokes in young people aged 18 to 49. The study enrolled 608 patients with cryptogenic ischaemic stroke from 13 different European countries.
One of their most striking discoveries was that women who used combined oral contraceptives were three times more likely to experience a cryptogenic stroke compared to non-users. These results stood, even after researchers adjusted for other factors which may have contributed to stroke risk (such as obesity and history of migraines).
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Zoom based ARNI Instructor training course; starts on September 20, 2025
ARNI runs the ONLY FUNCTIONAL REHABILITATION & EXERCISE TRAINING QUALIFICATION CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN THE UK which teaches experienced therapists and exercise instructors how to continue the rehabilitation path of stroke and other acquired brain injury survivor.
You will learn how to teach things that stroke survivors really want, and will ask you for help with. With this CPD you will be ready to meet the full needs of a referred client.
Functional rehabilitation & exercise training after stroke taught by ARNI is characterised by: essential upper and lower limb task practice in order to recover action control, innovative physical coping strategies in order to perform ADLs independently… and appropriate stroke-specific cardiovascular and resistance training.
Enrol now!!
arni.uk.com/instructors/
#neurorehab #strokeexercise #neurorehabilitation #strokerehab #exerciseafterstroke #strokerehabilitation #strokerecoveryexercises #strokeexerciseinstructor
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A new campaign by the NHS in England is encouraging people who experience the first sign of a stroke not to delay calling 999, after analysis of calls made in the last year showed the average time to do so was nearly an hour and a half.
England's most senior doctor says stroke symptoms might not appear obvious or dramatic, but they are always a reason to act quickly.
About 100,000 people have a stroke each year in the UK and more than a third die from related issues, making it the fourth biggest cause of death in the UK.
The most common symptoms are struggling to smile or raise an arm, and slurring words when speaking.
NHS England says recognising any one of these signs in yourself or others and dialling 999 urgently is crucial to getting prompt, specialist treatment.
Yet the average time taken to make that emergency call was 88 minutes in 2023-24, NHS data reveals.
The analysis, from a team at King's College London, looked at data for more than 41,000 stroke patients who were taken by ambulance to hospital.
NHS England also said a recent poll they carried out found a mistaken belief that two or three stroke symptoms were necessary before calling 999.
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Dr Tom says 'Do what you gotta do. And best to bin the word ‘therapy'; leave that to the professionals. Therapy largely describes ‘being done unto you’ rather than ‘you doing it’. You needed it badly in hospital and may well still need it for many critical areas. But equally it may not suitable as a substitute for consistent retraining, if you’re one of those lucky people who is now ambulant (albeit perhaps with some support). One of the biggest keys to progress is to understand that everyday active retraining, even if you’re very elderly, is the zone you need to be in. It doesn’t have to be hugely vigorous at all. It just needs to be suitable for you and above all, consistent'. ;;)
www.arni.uk.com
#strokeexercise #neurorehabilitation #strokerehab #arnistrokerehab #strokerecovery #strokerehabilitation #neurorehab #neuroplasticity #strokerecoveryexercises
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Lifting a book placed between your thumb and fingers is just one example of pinch gripping and release attempts you can try. Here, you are going to try to pinch a book, hold it up and move it about in space in the shape of a large cross and then release it. Stroke survivors with spasticity must work on finger and thumb relaxation in lots of ways.
If you need some help we have trainers throughout the country. Call us on 0203 053 0111 or email support@arni.uk.com to find out if there's one near you who can help you with your recovery.
www.arni.uk.c#strokerecoveryo#neuroplasticityi#strokerehabr#neurorehabr#arnistrokecharitya#strokeexerciser#arnistroketroke
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'v-health' pairs virtual task-based games with Valkyrie’s patented FES wearables with the goal of delivering accessible and measurable upper limb training for stroke survivors to help them regain function and independence.
The combination of immersive XR and neuromuscular stimulation is intended to encourage repetitive movement, assist motor relearning, and support patient engagement. A British technology company has received £500,000 in funding to further develop a neurorehabilitation platform that combines electrical stimulation with virtual reality.
Valkyrie Industries was awarded the grant through the Biomedical Catalyst 2024 competition by Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The funding will support the continued development of v-health, Valkyrie’s platform designed for neuromuscular rehabilitation using functional electrical stimulation (FES) and extended reality (XR). The project is backed by King’s College London, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.
The study will enrol 70 stroke survivors across the Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and the 6 Hobbs Rehabilitation sites in the South West and East. Focusing on individuals across a wide range of stroke recovery with wrist weakness, the research will assess the impact of the v-health platform during motor learning tasks. Participants with wrist weakness across varying stages of stroke recovery will take part in motor learning exercises using the v-health system. The research aims to evaluate both the effectiveness and practical application of the platform in healthcare settings.
www.arni.uk.com
#strokerecovery #neurorehab #arnistrokecharity #arnistrokerehab #strokeexercise #strokerehabilitation #arnistroke #strokerehab
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Regain function with Nura FES: a (currently in prototype & patent pending) wearable FES sleeve. Very long-term friend and supporter of ARNI, Professor Cherry Kilbride , and her colleagues, have developed an advanced prototype integrating electromyography smart sensors, functional electrical stimulation, and virtual reality technologies in a closed-loop system that is capable of supporting personalised recovery journeys.
The outcome; Nura, is a more engaging and accessible rehabilitation experience, designed and evaluated through the participation of stroke survivors. It features a comfortable sleeve with embedded fabric electrodes and a detachable "puck" that delivers FES to the arm muscles to aid in rehabilitation. The device is controlled by a companion tablet app that provides gamified exercises to motivate users and features simple, one-touch controls for FES intensity adjustment.
Key Features:
Wearable Sleeve: A comfortable sleeve with fabric electrodes that are integrated directly into the fabric, avoiding skin irritation.
"Puck" Controller: A detachable electronic component that houses the technology, including the microcontroller, which delivers the FES to the arm.
Gamified Rehabilitation: The device works with a tablet or Virtual Reality (VR) application, offering gamified exercises to enhance user engagement and motivation during rehabilitation.
Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES): Nura uses FES to stimulate arm muscles for wrist extension, ulnar, and radial deviation, helping to prevent muscle wastage.
User-Friendly Controls: The system allows for one-touch adjustment of FES intensity through the companion app, making it intuitive to use.
Biomedical Integration: The technology incorporates electromyography (EMG) sensors, which measure electrical activity in the muscles, and is designed to be integrated with existing rehabilitation and healthcare systems.
Targeted Audience: The Nura FES device is developed with stroke survivors in mind, especially those with cognitive impairments, providing a user-friendly and engaging way to regain strength and function.
www.arni.uk.com
#strokeexercise #neurorehabilitation #strokerehab #arnistrokerehab #strokerecovery #strokerehabilitation #neurorehab #neuroplasticity #strokerecoveryexercises
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Dr Tom from ARNI demonstrates incredible hand and wrist power showing a strongman heavy hammer leverage stunt in his home gym. He has a homemade shot-loadable steel tube weighing 26lb fixed to an axe-handle.
www.arrni.uk.com
#strokeexercise #neurorehabilitation #strokerehab #ARNIstrokerehab #strokerecovery #strokerehabilitation #neurorehab #neuroplasticity #strokerecoveryexercises #exerciseafterstroke
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According to a recent analysis from the @OfficeForNationalStatistics, the average stroke survivor loses £18,785 in earnings over a five year period, from the moment of their diagnosis. This is more than:
▪️Cancer
▪️Heart failure
▪️Heart attack
▪️Chronic kidney disease
▪️Diabetes
▪️Respiratory conditions
▪️Musculoskeletal conditions
From these conditions, stroke survivors were also least able to stay in permanent employment, four years after their diagnosis. This is clear evidence that more needs to be done to provide financial security for stroke survivors and their families, and yet the current Government insists on making it more difficult for people living with disabilities and long-term health conditions to access benefits like Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
We already know how difficult stroke survivors find the process of applying for PIP, and how many people are unsuccessful. If the Government continues with its current plan to introduce stricter measures and barriers to PIP and financial support, more and more stroke survivors are going to be left with less and less.
#strokeexercise #neurorehabilitation #strokerehab #ARNIstrokerehab #strokerecovery #strokerehabilitation #neurorehab #neuroplasticity #strokerecoveryexercises #exerciseafterstroke
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Healthy neurons in our brain have the ability to rewire. This incredible ability means that brains can be retrained after strokes to potentially restore impaired functions. Behaviors and experiences play a key role in the process.
ARNI techniques provide you with the right activities for your brain to rewire itself. To find out if there's a trainer near you who can help you call us on 0203 053 0111 or email support@arni.uk.com
www.arni.uk.c#strokerecoveryo#neurorehabr#arnistrokecharitya#ARNIstrokerehabr#strokeexerciser#strokerehabilitationa#arnistroket#strokerehabrehab
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