Bringing together the multidisciplinary stroke community to improve stroke care in the UK.
UK Stroke Forum
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- November 24, 2015
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Exercise: Pelvic Push-ups & Knee-control This exercise is a fantastic way to develop core strength whilst focusing on controlling the tendency of your affected leg to fall to the side in this position. . Doing this exercise allows you to become very aware of lateral weakness in your leg, something that is not evident just by standing up or walking. . Can you control the way your affected leg falls to the side? We see many stroke survivors who, whilst sitting, cannot prevent their affected knee from flopping right round the corner of the chair. This is usually due to weak adductor muscle.
Find out more about this exercise in The Successful Stroke Survivor book by Tom Balchin
www.arni.uk.com
#strokerecovery #neuroplasticity #ARNIstroke #strokerehab #strokeexercise #strokerehabilitation #neurorehab #arnistrokerehab
Paul Jay writes to us to ask us to give 'A huge shout-out to my amazing ARNI Instructor, Chris Burford! 🌟 After my stroke, I honestly felt like I'd hit a plateau, and my confidence was low. But working with my ARNI Instructor has been a complete game-changer.
The sessions have been tough, but in the best way possible. Chris is showing me how to do things I never thought I could again, like getting up off the floor and improving my walking technique. It's really not just about the physical recovery; it's about rebuilding my confidence, too. 🧠💖
I'm making real progress and, for the first time in a while, I have genuine hope for an active future. ARNI isn't just rehabilitation; it's a new lease on life. I can't recommend it enough to anyone on their own stroke recovery journey. I have my own online Dashboard with a calendar of all my sessions on it on Stroke Solutions and just phone in when I want more sessions.'
Good one Paul - keep retraining! Btw, Chris and any other ARNI Associate can be secured ARNI matching and moni#arnig#ARNIstrokerehabo#strokerecoveryu#strokesurvivorN#neurorehabb#rehabilitationy#lifeafterstroke #KeepMoving #recoveryjourney##thankyouStroke #KeepMoving #RecoveryJourney #ThankYou 💙✨
In the News! The Sir Jules Thorn Centre for Co-Creation of Rehabilitation Technology, located at the Wolfson Centre at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, is pioneering stroke recovery at the moment, using innovative technology.
In partnership with Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, the centre helps survivors with leading-edge, tech-enriched retraining programmes to help them regain independence.
The centre's use of advanced technology, including AI games and adapted controllers, helps survivors recover dexterity and mobility in an engaging and fun way. It is equipped with state-of-the-art rehabilitation technology (de-weighting systems, neuro-stimulation, virtual reality, treadmills, bespoke rehab games, communication apps, powered exercise equipment, gamified resistance equipment and measurement equipment.
All this tech is designed to be accessible and make rehab as enjoyable as possible, allowing individuals with varying degrees of fitness and mobility to engage with the exercises effectively, like treadmills with harnesses can identify and correct walking imbalances…offering personalised rehab that builds strength and confidence.
Many participants report significant improvements in mobility, confidence, and overall well-being, helping them get back to their favourite hobbies, like cycling and cooking.
🙌🧠🦾 www.arni.uk.com
#StrokeRehabilitation #Neurorehabilitation #ARNI #StrokeRecovery #StrokeRehab #SirJulesThornCentre #Glasgow #UniversityofStrathclyde #StrokeSurvivors #Innovation #RehabilitationTechnology #ChestHeartStrokeScotland #BetterTogether
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While physiotherapists are essential in the early stages, ARNI trainers step in when hospital therapy ends, focusing on continued recovery.
Traditional physiotherapy often ceases once a patient can mobilise. The ARNI approach specifically addresses the gap in care that can lead to a plateau or regression in recovery. An ARNI trainer teaches survivors functional retraining strategies, moving beyond passive treatment to help patients build the skills to continue their recovery independently.
ARNI training includes practical coping strategies for managing daily life, such as getting up from the floor safely by yourself and navigating steps. This focus on real-world tasks builds confidence and functional independence. While traditional sessions can sometimes be quite passive experiences and repetitive without significant progression, ARNI trainers provide personalised, one-on-one sessions that are constantly adapted and intensified based on the survivor's progress.
The ARNI approach incorporates stroke-specific strength and resistance training, which recent research has confirmed improves recovery outcomes. Many traditional rehab approaches have historically neglected this for fear of increasing muscle tone. Research also highlights how ARNI training is integrating cutting-edge technology, moving beyond the traditional clinic.
Ultimately, the research suggests that the most effective rehab is a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach. ARNI trainers work to support and complement the foundational work done by hospital therapists, creating a pathway for continued, active, and personalised recovery.
www.arni.uk#strokerehabilitationa#arni##neuroplasticityi#strokerecoveryo#innovationa#rehabR#physicaltherapye#strokesurvivorv#HealthResearche#neurorehabilitationa#arniinstituteitute
ANDREW (BY MARION). I found out about ARNI when I was calling around local physios trying to engage a mobile therapist for my step father, Andrew. It was proving impossible to find anyone willing to make visits to a residential care home. But one smart receptionist at a Lincoln practice knew about ARNI and told me I could contact the charity directly without a referral.
I hadn’t heard of ARNI before. Why had I never heard of ARNI? The NHS gives short term physio support after a stroke. But if recovery is taking a little longer for you, then you risk being prematurely abandoned. Told you have reached the extent of your recovery. This is nonsense. You have just reached the extent of NHS funding.
Andrew, 5 months post stroke, was spending 90%+ of his day in bed at the Nursing and Care Home where he is at. Demotivated. Believing he was as good as he could be. Grieving for the loss of his wife. Anticipating the same outcome for himself. On a slippery slope.
When I made my enquiry I couldn’t believe how straight forward the process was. The immediate answer was, ‘yes – we can help’. The registration and paperwork was simple. An ARNI physio was identified and Natalie agreed to work with Andrew on weekly visits.
Three months into physio with Natalie and Andrew spends 90% of his waking day out of bed. A complete turn around. He can mobilise unaided around his bedroom. He walks with a frame to the dining room for three meals a day. He is motivated to participate in social activities with other residents. He can take himself for a walk around the garden unaccompanied. Now he has the confidence to accept invitations to go out and can be collected by friends and go to public places.
I firmly believe that ARNI services should be universally accessible and recommended by the NHS. There was no signposting from the medical profession. This is information that people who have had a stroke need to know. Truly, the intervention of ARNI has been life changing. An enormous relief for family who live hundreds of miles away. An inspiration to Andrew, and a long term hope of an active future.
www.arni.uk.com
#StrokeRehabilitation #Neurorehabilitation #ARNI #StrokeRecovery
What an incredible story. Sadly, care homes lack sufficient numbers of staff to assist with anything but basic personal care and mealtime activities so mobility is often not prioritised. They are also not trained in supporting rehabilitation from illness/injury either,hence the ever-increasing need for specialised physios and trainers. All the best to Andrew in his rehab journey, he is a shining example of what can be achieved with the appropriate support and determination to recover.
So very good to hear that Andrew has regained independence and mobility. Wonderful work by his ARNI physio!
New research is highlighting the many advantages of upper limb stroke rehab DIY: using a home-based, self-training programme with the weekly assistance of an ARNI Associate instructor coming to your house to guide you, instead of paying for traditional physiotherapy.
For a start, you can recover in a familiar environment, which can reduce stress and anxiety.
You can then obviously learn to master daily tasks in the actual setting where you perform them, which can lead to greater functional independence. This means you can build the skills and confidence to take an active role in your own long-term recovery journey.
Engaging, interactive, and intensive training using tech-assisted therapy can be done at home using innovative tools like telerehabilitation and gamified exercises, reducing financial and logistical burdens like travel costs, which can free- up resources…
While traditional inpatient care is necessary in the very early stages, supervised home-based training is a powerful next step. It's a game-changer for regaining strength, balance, and independence. 💪
www.arni.uk.#strokerehabilitationa#neurorehabilitationa#arni##strokerecoveryo#neuroplasticityi#strokerecoveryo#strokerehabR#hometrainingi#physicaltherapye#strokesurvivorv#HealthResearchearch
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals has this week announced the completion of a pioneering, state-of-the-art stroke rehabilitation facility.💚 This is the new Phoenix Therapy Suite, situated in the Fred and Ann Green Rehabilitation Centre at Montagu Hospital.
This first-of-its-kind NHS facility is making a real difference for patients by offering cutting-edge, robotic-assisted therapy that was once only available in private clinics.
The benefits include robotic gait trainers and upper limb devices which enable highly-focused and repetitive exercises to maximise recovery potential. The technology incorporates gaming elements to make therapy sessions more fun and interactive and survivors attending it are already seeing significant improvements in both their movement and mental functions.
It's a fantastic example of technology and clinical expertise combining to deliver a world-class rehabilitation service. Hats off to the DBTH Charity and the Fred and Ann Green Legacy for making this possible 👏
www.arni.uk#strokerehabilitationa#neurorehabilitationa#arni##strokerecoveryo#neuroplasticityi#strokerehabR#NHS #HealthTechh#fredandanngreenrehabcentree#phoenixtherapysuiteS#montaguhospitalp#dbthcharitya#recoveryispossibles#neuroplasticityicity
AI software is now being used to interpret brain scans and has been shown to potentially triple stroke recovery rates 🧠✨
The new tech helps doctors make faster and more accurate decisions by processing brain scans over an hour quicker than current methods. This speed is critical because, during a stroke, millions of brain cells can be lost every minute.
The result? Better outcomes for thousands of patients. In one analysis, the number of stroke patients recovering with little to no disability went from 16% to 48%
This isn't just a pilot project: it's apparently being rolled out in hospitals across the country right now 🏥🤖
www.ar#strokerehabilitationb#neurorehabilitationb#arnit#strokerecoveryk#neuroplasticitypl#AIinHealthcareH#strokerecoveryk#MedicalBreakthroughe#AIh#NHSh#HealthcareInnovationI#timeisbrainimeIsBrain
Based on recent research, the SoftHand-X offers a promising new approach to task-specific practice for stroke patients, particularly for those with severe hand impairment. Recent studies highlight its potential to reduce spasticity, improve hand function, and enhance patient participation in rehabilitation.
The SoftHand-X is a supernumerary robotic limb, which is a wearable device that augments the human body with robotic fingers. The patient's residual, minimal active finger or wrist extension movements are used to control the device's finger extension, while relaxing their extensor muscles controls the robotic hand's flexion.
A 2022 pilot study published in Scientific Reports utilised the SoftHand-X to administer task-specific training (TST) to sub-acute stroke patients who lacked sufficient active finger extension to perform these tasks unaided. Patients using it showed a decrease in spasticity, with the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) scores improving from a baseline of 1 (mild spasticity) to 0 (no spasticity) in most patients shortly after treatment. This reduction in spasticity was also supported by electromyographic (EMG) recordings, which showed a decreased stretch reflex in the wrist and/or finger flexors.
In a usability study, patients rated the SoftHand-X as "well-accepted" and "good" for its usability and showed excellent participation levels; demonstrating high motivation for the intensive, goal-directed motor tasks facilitated by the device. Another study found the SoftHand-X could partially compensate for severely impaired hand function in chronic stroke patients and reduce spasticity.
These soft robotic devices represent a paradigm shift towards personalised, accessible, and engaging neurorehabilitation, with the potential to improve recovery outcomes and quality of life for stroke survivors.www.arni.uk.com
#SoftRobotics #SoftHandX #StrokeRehab #TaskSpecificPractice #Neurorehabilitation #PhysicalTherapy #OccupationalTherapy #StrokeRecovery #Research #MedicalInnovation #Neurology #RehabilitationTechnology
A new soft, wearable robotic device, ‘Reachable’, (shown) is a breakthrough in personalised neurorehabilitation.
In prototype form at the moment, the tech from researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Wyss Institute may possibly transform upper-limb rehabilitation potential for stroke survivors.
Instead of a bulky exoskeleton, Reachable is a lightweight, fabric-based garment that uses inflatable actuators and advanced machine learning.
The device uses a physics-based model and machine learning to learn and adapt to each user's unique movements, providing assistance that feels natural. It helps patients with everyday tasks like eating, drinking, and reaching for objects, promoting greater independence.
By assisting movement, the technology helps re-engage and re-train muscles, reducing compensatory movements and increasing range of motion in the shoulder, elbow, and wrist. The portable and reasonably user-friendly design offers a new path for at-home rehabilitation, overcoming barriers like cost and travel for regular in-clinic therapy.
This research, just published in Nature Communications, represents a significant step toward more effective, accessible, and personalised rehabilitation. The team, supported by the NSF Convergence Accelerator, is now working to transition the technology from the lab to independent at-home use.
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#StrokeRehab #SoftRobotics #HarvardResearch #WearableTech #Robotics #Neurorehabilitation #PhysicalTherapy #StrokeRecovery #ResearchImpact #Innovation