Your own hard work and determination... ...plus a trained ARNI instructor is the MOST POWERFUL WAY (backed by clinical research) to regain that precious gift of strength and mobility.
Contact us on 0203 053 0111 or email support@arni.uk.com to find out if there's an instructor near you who can work with you on your recovery.
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To all our stroke warriors and families across Kent, we are facing a critical moment in 2026 that requires us to stand together once again to protect our local lifelines. The breaking news that all stroke services are set to be moved to William Harvey Hospital (WHH), leaving both Kent & Canterbury (K&C) and QEQM without any stroke care, is a deeply worrying development for our community.
Please take a moment to sign the petition on Change.org and, because some are finding it hard to share directly, please copy and paste this message to your own walls to spread the word. With 786 signatures at this moment, the momentum is building, but we need everyone who understands the importance of rapid stroke intervention to join us. Let’s protect our local hospitals and ensure that future survivors have the same fighting chance that we did by keeping these vital services right here in the heart of our community ✨
www.change.org/p/stop-our-stroke-services-being-taken-from-kent-canterbury-hospital-to-william-ha...
While the plan is to build a new 54-bed Hyper Acute Stroke Unit (HASU), moving these services out of Canterbury means significantly longer travel times for everyone in Whitstable, Herne Bay, Thanet, Dover and Folkestone. We know from our own journeys that when a stroke hits, every single second counts, and forcing ambulances to navigate the hell hole roads of the A28 and A251 or the often-congested M20 to reach Ashford puts lives at unnecessary risk 🙏
The reality for many of us is that during the pandemic, the return of the stroke unit to K&C was a literal lifesaver, especially for those coming from Thanet who face the longest journeys. By moving these services away, we are looking at travel times jumping from a manageable 20 minutes to over an hour, which directly contradicts the Time is Brain message we all live by.
We cannot allow a situation where the BEFAST protocol is undermined by a map; specialist care is vital, but it loses its power if you can't get to it fast enough to save those precious brain cells. 🙏😊
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For shoulder subluxation after stroke the root cause of the problem is miscommunication from the brain.
Movement is controlled by the brain as nerves carry messages from the brain to the muscles to initiate muscle contraction. Therefore, mobility issues like shoulder subluxation after stroke are best treated by retraining the brain to effectively communicate with the affected muscles.
This is possible thanks to neuroplasticity, the mechanism the brain uses to rewire itself and create new neural pathways. Neuroplasticity is activated by “massed practice,” or high repetition of a specific task. The more an exercise is practiced, the stronger the neural connection or “blueprint” for this motion will become.
Therefore, to improve shoulder subluxation after stroke, individuals can practice safe shoulder rehab exercises to retrain the brain and body to move correctly. With time and consistent adherence to a rehabilitation regimen, the arm bone, or humerus, will be encouraged to stay in the socket while also improving your overall shoulder mobility and function.
www.arni.uk.com
#arnistrokecharity #strokerecovery #ARNIstrokerehab #neurorehab #neuroplasticity #arnistrokerehab #neurorehabilitation #strokesurvivorscan #strokeexercise #strokerehab #strokerehabilitation
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Had A Stroke – now what? By Tom Balchin (with a foreword by Andrew Marr)
Written by a stroke survivor for stroke survivors and their families, carers and friends.
Learn Everything You Need To Know
What happened and what to expect next
How your family, carers and friends can best help you recover your strength, balance and stability
How to get back action control in your arm and hand
How to develop physical coping strategies
How to locate therapy help which actually works
Which available treatments are optimal for you
How to find the best practical recovery aids
How to secure financial assistance
How to become independent again
How to fulfil your potential for optimal quality of life.
Have you got your copy yet?
www.strokesolutions.co.uk/product/had-a-stroke-now-what-book/
#arnistroke #neurorehabilitation #strokesurvivorscan #strokerehab #neuroplasticity #neurorehab #strokeexercise #strokerecovery #arnistrokecharity #strokerehabilitation
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In a truly moving display of community spirit this January 2026, the people of Liverpool have rallied together to raise thousands of pounds for 23-year-old Alex Warwick. Alex, a much-loved medical student at the University of Liverpool, saw his life change in an instant, but there has apparently been an overwhelming response from hundreds of Liverpool ECHO readers (a JustGiving campaign) to ensure that Alex can access the specialist rehabilitation and equipment he needs to fight back against the effects of his stroke, reminding us all that the strength of a community can provide a powerful foundation for healing 🕊️
For every stroke survivor reading this, Alex’s story is a fitting testament to how much some people truly care and how much hope remains even in the toughest of times. Seeing a young medical student, someone who is dedicating his life to helping others, now being helped by the kindness of strangers is a profound reminder that you are valued and your journey matters.
The funds raised will help bridge the gap between hospital care and long-term independence, providing the intensive therapy that is so crucial for a young person looking to reclaim their future and potentially return to the medical profession they love 🌟
As Alex begins this next chapter of his rehabilitation, his story is of great interest to the ARNI Stroke Rehab UK stroke community because it reminds us that while the path is often long and difficult, there is a massive network of support ready to lift you up when you need it most. We are all rooting for Alex as he applies that same medical determination to his own recovery, proving that with the right resources and a whole city behind you, the impossible becomes possible. He's very welcome to ring us at the ARNI Stroke Rehab UK Charity and we'll assist him in his rehabilitation to regain the fine motor movements that he'll need going forward in his career✨
www.arni.uk.com
#ARNIStrokeRehab #AlexWarwick #StrokeRecovery #LiverpoolECHO #CommunitySupport #HopeAfterStroke
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Big news for all stroke survivors! The brain has just been found to have a MUCH higher potential to physically repair its own 'short-circuited' wiring after a stroke than previously believed.
So, yesterday brought a massive wave of hope from the scientific community that could change the future of recovery forever as scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys and Duke-NUS Medical School in the U.S. published a groundbreaking study revealing that human stem cells are far more intelligent than we ever imagined...
The research shows that when these stem cells are grafted into the brain, the resulting neurons contain their own intrinsic codes or internal GPS systems that allow them to navigate and form complex connections on their own. This means the brain has a much higher potential to physically repair its own 'short-circuited' wiring after a stroke than previously believed 🧠
This discovery proves that we don't just have to rely on existing neurons to work harder; we can actually look forward to therapies that replace what was lost with high precision. By understanding how these new cells find their way and plug into the existing neural network, researchers can now refine cell therapies to be much more effective at restoring movement and speech. It suggests that the biological 'blueprints' for a healthy brain remain intact and ready to be reactivated, providing a solid scientific foundation for the idea that your recovery journey doesn't have a pre-determined end date 🌟
While this remains in the advanced testing stages, the fact that these findings are now public in early 2026 marks a major milestone in regenerative medicine. It reinforces the message that the 'golden window' of recovery is being pushed wide open by modern science, and the impossible is becoming possible through the power of stem cell technology.
ARNI Stroke Rehab UK says: keep pushing with your daily rehab and stay strong, because the world's best minds are working around the clock to unlock the secrets of your brain's#ARNIstrokerehabi#strokehopea#StemCellResearchw#NeuroRegenerationS#strokerecoveryin2026e #StemCellResearch #NeuroRegeneration #StrokeRecoveryin2026
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The 10 things below are a great ‘starter for 10’ way to look at the totality of recovery:
Understand how to produce, start, a very manageable, customised self-rehab programme (with the assistance of a physio or specialist neuro-rehab ARNI instructor).
Understand what, when and why you’re doing what you’re doing, instead of doing things ‘piece-meal’.
Understand what factors you can play with, try out, evaluate and combine interventions (how to manipulate the concepts, principles and available adjuncts/interventions).
Understand that specific goals will only come once you can see your way (ie, get some successes under your belt, which is why learning how to get down and up from the floor with no help or support is incredibly important). Many people, having been told they need to goal-set, don’t then build in the try/fail factor – and get annoyed/stop trying to self-rehab and/or engage with a physio or trainer on a weekly basis. Which isn’t good.
Understand how to, and initiate, weight-bearing, balance, co-ordination, postural and gait control over time.
Understand how to, and initiate, the decrease of upper limb spasticity/flaccidity if you have it & increase functional movement return over time.
Understand how to, and initiate, the increase of muscular, tendon, ligament and bone strength over time.
Understand how to, and initiate the increase of confidence and removal of the the fear of the consequences of exercising.
Understand how to become progressively more self-sufficient, make tremendous efforts to get that way, giving hope to those who love and care for you & then become productive in an occupation and/or hobby be happy with life and give back to others.
Can I do these things? ABSOLUTELY!! These can all be achieved by you, to a certain degree, however old you are, step by step, if you’re motivated and are prepared to sacrifice time and effort (again, if you are able to/if appropriate).
www.arni.uk.com #exerciseafterstroke #neurorehabilitation #strokerehabilitation #neurorehab #strokerecoveryexercises #strokesurvivorscan #strokerehab #neuroplasticity #strokeexercise
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Even if you have hired the help of a trainer or a therapist to get you started (advised), you must have input towards your own rehabilitation and not be a passive recipient. It’s time for action and knowledge is power. But how do you go about doing this? How do you work with the evidence? Just some thoughts for you to make all this clearer. Firstly, let’s look back at Professor Nick Ward and international colleagues’ ‘agreed definitions’ of the terms ‘rehabilitation’ and ‘recovery’ from 2017. This is worth a couple of screenshots:
See the blue-box? I ask all my students (on online/hybrid courses) to read this out & repeat it with me 3 times. Then we discuss it: it’s important. Definitions really are, otherwise we’re just playing around with words. I then ask them if they think that recovery ever really happens (in near to full totality) for many survivors; which then leads onto more discussion, etc.
Can a generic recovery programme to help you recover be created? For example, is there one ‘programme’ that will fit everyone? It would be much easier that way but the most accepted answer is ‘no’. I’m afraid not. You need something highly customised and evidence based (and you are a changing target, remember, so any ‘programme’ must allow you to work on the edges of your current ability, with progressions that you can only try/experiment with once you gain some success (so progressions can’t in any way be ‘pre-set’, but become part of recovery).
The good news for you is that it’s practically certain that there are numerous things that most or ALL stroke survivors must do to get/regain the above. You can start with basic tasks that you need to master in order that you can work towards more complex tasks. You will ‘get nothing by doing nothing’.
And remember, we have trainers throughout the country. Call us on 0203 053 0111 or email support@arni.uk.com to see if there's one near you.
www.arni.uk.com #strokerecoveryexercises #strokerehabilitation #strokerehab #neurorehab #exerciseafterstroke #neurorehabilitation #strokesurvivorscan
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Scientists at Northwestern University have made a monumental breakthrough in January 2026 by developing an injectable regenerative nanomaterial that could change the future of acute stroke care forever. This cutting-edge therapy works by forming a temporary, biodegradable scaffold that delivers specific 'dancing molecules' directly to the site of brain injury. During the critical window immediately following a stroke, this material helps to stabilise the damaged area and provides a protective environment that prevents further cell death and inflammation 🧠
The magic of this nanomaterial lies in its ability to mimic the natural structure surrounding our cells, effectively tricking the brain into a state of repair rather than destruction. By protecting the neural pathways while they are at their most vulnerable, this technology bridges the gap between the initial trauma and long-term recovery.
This means that instead of just reacting to the damage after it has occurred, doctors may soon have a proactive way to 'seal' and support brain tissue, significantly reducing the severity of long-term disability for survivors 🧪
While currently in the preclinical stage, the success of this Northwestern study offers immense hope for a new era of neuro-regenerative medicine. If translated to standard care, it could provide a vital lifeline for patients during those first high-stakes hours, ensuring that more brain tissue is preserved and that the journey toward recovery starts from a much stronger foundation.
ARNI Stroke Rehab UK states that this really is a bit of a glimpse into a future where the devastating impact of a stroke can be halted right at the sourc#ARNIstrokerehabc#nanotechnologye#MedicalBreakthrough##NeuroRegenerationh#northwesternuniversityrthwesternUniversity
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