SBS hero Mark Bowra MBE being trained by Dr Tom Balchin OBE. For the savvy survivor like Mark, who understands that recovery is a marathon of grit rather than a series of miracles, navigating the complexities of a hemiparetic upper limb requires more than just passive stretching. Whether you are battling the constant internal pull of spasticity or the frustrating silence of a flaccid arm, the ARNI Approach focuses on the hard science of neuroplasticity to help you reclaim control. By utilizing evidence-based forced-use strategies and heavy repetitions of task-specific practice, we work to bypass damaged pathways and encourage the brain to find new ways to fire those dormant muscle groups 🧠
If you are dealing with spasticity, our instructors focus on high-load stretching and breaking the habitual flexor patterns that keep the wrist and fingers locked. Conversely, for those facing flaccid paralysis, we implement targeted sensory-motor retraining and gravity-eliminated exercises to coax the first flickers of movement back into the more-affected limb. We don't offer false promises of an overnight fix; instead, we provide a sophisticated and aggressive (not mutually exclusive in the world of evidence-based stroke rehab!) framework of physical training designed to turn earned non-use into functional, real-world strength that actually matters for your daily independence 🦾
The ARNI Teaching Institute ensures that every survivor is matched with a specialist who understands the biomechanics of a post-stroke body and the psychological resilience required to keep pushing. Our goal is to move you beyond the maintenance phase of traditional therapy and into a regime of progressive resistance and meaningful coordination drills. By treating you like the trainee you are, rather than a patient, we help you bridge the gap between clinical stabilization and the high-intensity practice needed to get your hand back into the game of life ✨
www.arni.uk#ARNIstrokerehabR#neuroplasticityi#strokerecoveryo#SpasticityManagemente#UpperLimbRehabRehab
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Researchers have developed a groundbreaking blood test that tracks a specific biomarker called brain-derived tau, or BD-tau, to monitor brain injury after a stroke with incredible precision. While traditional brain scans give us a snapshot of the damage at one moment, this new test allows clinicians to see exactly how an injury evolves over the crucial hours and days that follow, providing a much clearer picture of what is happening inside the brain than ever before 🧠
This discovery helps predict long-term outcomes months or even years into the future. By measuring the levels of BD-tau in the blood, doctors can get a real-time window into the brain's health, allowing them to tailor medical interventions and rehabilitation plans specifically to each survivor's needs. For stroke survivors, having a biological marker that tracks ones progress and helps ensure that therapy is as effective as possible could be rather helpful... 🌟
Knowing how the brain is responding to treatment means we can be even more targeted with our intensive ARNI rehab, focusing our energy where it drives the most functional change. ✨
www.ar#ARNIstrokerehabt#strokerecoveryk#brainhealthr#MedicalInnovationI#Neuroscience2026cience2026
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The stepper is safe (to an extent), but you should think about familiarising yourself with steps again as soon as possible. Real steps are real life, and real risk.
Confidence is everything, and your grip will give you the confidence you need to hold your bodyweight should you not hit a step right, or your foot curl underneath you or to the side as you step up or down. So you need to ensure your good side’s hands and wrists are strong.
Find out more in The Successful Stroke Survivor book by Tom Balchin.
www.strokesolutions.co.uk/.../successful-stroke.../
#neuroplasticity #neurorehab #strokerecovery #strokerehab #strokesurvivorscan #strokerecoveryexercises #strokeexercise #neurorehabilitation #exerciseafterstroke
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Many years of research suggests that the mobility and functional dependence of stroke survivors worsen over time and that accessing later rehabilitation becomes increasingly difficult for stroke survivors. This raises the big question: when should your ‘supported care pathway’ end? The ideal answer is ‘when I am better’.
The problem is that stroke survivors rarely simply ‘get better’ or ‘get back to normal’. Clinical rehabilitation therefore always has to be a compromise, due to time and resources allocated to professionals and patients. Just ask any hard-working physio or OT! And there are also some specific factors (Approach-specific factors, for example) involved in this compromise which will probably never be fully explained to your satisfaction, even if you were to ask.
Stroke survivors simply tend to know when therapy seems to have ended too soon. They can feel very neglected. And that's exactly why ARNI exists - to fill the gap.
www.arni.uk.com #neuroplasticity #neurorehab #strokerecovery #strokerehabilitation #Neuroplasticity #exerciseafterstroke #strokeexercise
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If you stop exercising, then you risk hitting the stroke recovery plateau, or worse — regressing.
To keep your progress going, you have to keep moving.
www.arni.uk.com
#strokerecovery #neuroplasticity #neurorehab #ARNIstrokerehab #arnistrokecharity #ARNIstrokerehab
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All at ARNI Stroke Rehab UK are sending thoughts of strength and hope today to a brave teenager from Banbury who is starting her recovery journey in 2026. Shakira Gorman unexpectedly suffered a rare spinal stroke on December 28, a life-changing event that has temporarily left her unable to talk. While the shock of such a rare diagnosis is immense, Shakira is already showing the resilient spirit that defines a true warrior, and her story reminds us that even when our voices are quieted for a moment, our inner strength speaks louder than ever 🕊️
For everyone navigating their own path to independence, Shakira’s journey highlights the specialised support available for those facing rare neurological challenges. Spinal strokes are unique in how they affect the body, but the principles of neuroplasticity and dedicated rehabilitation available (available for her anytime from ARNI) remain the same. We know from so many survivors in our facebook group that the early days are just the beginning of a long and successful comeback. 🌟
As Shakira begins her intensive rehabilitation, her story serves as a reminder to cherish every small victory and to lean on the incredible network of survivors who have walked this path before if she needs. We know that recovery after a stroke isn't a sprint; it's a marathon fueled by patience, love and the latest therapy and training expertise. We are all rooting for this talented young woman from Oxfordshire as she fights to reclaim her future, proving once again that the human spirit is far more powerful than any medical setback.
Keep going, Shakira, and to everyone else out there pushing through their rehab today: stay strong and keep believing in the power of your own recovery ✨
www.arni.uk.com
#ARNIStrokeRehab #ShakiraGorman #StrokeRecovery2026 #SpinalStroke #OxfordshireStrong #NeuroRehab
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Are you currently in a wheelchair? Or, do you have just a few limitations from stroke?
Whoever you are, if you’re a stroke survivor, this online video set is suitable for you.
Rehabilitate your balance control, cope with foot drop, get stronger, reduce spasticity, recover the ability to grasp & release objects and become self-reliant rather than dependent on others.
These show you the best strategies from the best-selling manual The Successful Stroke Survivor.
Clever tips and ‘tricks of the trade’ that you need after stroke. Just click on the DVDs to see their contents.
Now you can learn all this too, in your home, with Dr Tom as your personal teacher.
7 DVDs of 45 to 60 minutes each, filmed in full HD 1080p clarity, this superb video programme will be your accompaniment to progressive rehabilitation.
www.strokesolutions.co.uk/.../dvds-and-anytime.../
#neuroplasticity #strokeexercise #strokerehab #strokesurvivorscan #strokerecovery #neurorehab #neurorehabilitation #exerciseafterstroke #strokerecoveryexercises
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How to start retraining your upper limb after stroke? Your starter programme consists both of stretches and tasks. You may or may not have been taught how to safely self-stretch but the idea is that more is better and safety is paramount. You have to stretch your upper limb (gently), knowing at the same time simply stretching won’t bring recovery. You have to be task-focused. So, when you do a stretch, you then do something challenging and specific functionally with the stretch.
To find out if there's an ARNI instructor near you who can help you call us on 0203 053 0111 or email support@arni.uk.com
www.arni.uk.com
#arnistrokecharity #stroke #strokesurvivors #neuroplasticity #strokearmrehab
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Colleagues of ARNI Stroke Rehab at both UCL and the University of Oxford's Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, have developed a groundbreaking ultrasound helmet designed to break apart dangerous brain clots without the need for any surgery or invasive scalpels!
By using focused ultrasound beams that pass safely through the skull, this device can target a blockage with pinpoint precision and vibrate it until it fragments into tiny pieces the body can clear naturally. This means the high-stakes 'golden hour' after a stroke could soon be managed with a portable, non-invasive tool that stops damage in its tracks before it even has the chance to cause long-term disability 🧠
Early clinical tests show that this helmet can restore vital blood flow dramatically faster than medication alone, all while avoiding the dangers of opening the skull or navigating sensitive neural tissue with catheters. The tech indicates that a stroke can be repaired externally, preserving the precious connections that allow us to move, speak and stay ourselves. This shift toward surgery-free clot removal is a massive leap forward in making sure the baseline for recovery is as high as possible for every survivor 🌟
The system has been successfully tested on human volunteers to demonstrate its ability to precisely target deep brain structures and modulate neural activity. While it shows promise for treating blood clots, the tech is also being explored for other conditions like Parkinson's disease, depression & Alzheimer's.
The most exciting part is the potential for this helmet to become a standard piece of equipment in ambulances and remote medical centers across the UK. Imagine a world where life-saving treatment begins the moment the paramedics arrive at your door, rather than waiting until you reach a specialist surgical hub. As this tech moves through its final large-scale trials, it serves as a powerful reminder that the brightest minds in science are working tirelessly to make stroke recovery faster, safer and more accessible for everyone. ✨
www.arni.uk.com
#ARNIStrokeRehab #UltrasoundHelmet #MedTech2026 #StrokeRecovery #BrainHealth
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A study being completed by Tom Oliani as part of his doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Sheffield concerns well-being after stroke. 
One Comment
I am 71, female, and had a stroke 17yrs ago. I lay on the floor for 28hrs, then an indeterminate time on the ambulance, going through A/E, then into a bed, when I awoke my daughter asked me something, I answered her, and she told me later she didn’t understand a word I said. I stayed in hospital for 3 weeks, not getting much better, then I went to my sister-in-law, who was a nurse. I had, and paid for, a Physio, OT, speech therapist, and by the time I left, 5weeks, I could walkabout 4/5 feet, then collapsing, my speech went up from 25% to about 70%. I tried to put my feet on the stairs, and I remember thinking I’d never walk up stairs again. I next went to Wolfson, and they were brilliant, I stayed for the full 3mnths, and at the end of that, I could walk about 25ft, I did art, they taught me to cook a bit, to iron, etc. When I was taken for walks by my physio for 6 weeks,she asked me what I would do and I said Art, and could I do Pilates – she said “oh no” and I said to myself “You wait”. The following g day I went and signed up for Art & Pilates! I broke my arm a year later, was taken by ambulance to Kingston again, and the radiographer said “you’ve broken your arm before” and the only time I might have broken was when I had a Stroke! I was showed how to go up an escalator. I went on to do Pilates twice a week for 13yrs, I went to INS once a week, while there I stood up in front of St George’s students and told them about my journey, and told them about my broken arm, so that they could think about it, and remember it! Then I moved here to Lynwood Village, and have a pool, and I tried to swim on my back with our trainer, and I did it, I couldn’t believe it – so when it’s open, I swim for an hour three times a week! I do Art, I used to go to the cinema and to see the theatre there, the real theatre, we have outings, I do sewing up of the squares to make blankets, do things here and just enjoy everything! I have always lived on my own, once the children have flown, been seeing them, and going to Denmark to see one daughter & family, been on a cruise, been to fly to Barbados. And I am one handed, my left hand which I had to learn to write again, and my right leg is a little iffy, but I just soldier on, and I enjoy everything, for 17yrs!!! My children tell me I’m dogged, I think I’m just cantankerous!!!