Letβs break the word βneuroplasticityβ down. βNeuroβ refers to the nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord, and βplasticityβ refers to change.
β[Your brain] is constantly changing. You can participate in that process. This means that things are not permanent as we once thought that they were and also that you can heal trauma,β says Lousie Hansen, a psychologist in Edmonton, Australia.
Historically, neuroscientists didnβt always operate on the knowledge of the brainβs capacity to adapt. It was assumed the brain didnβt or couldnβt change once you reached a certain age.
Among other things, this led many to believe that all injuries to the nervous system resulted in fixed outcomes: lifelong damages and limitations.
Nowadays, neuroscientists have discovered that this isnβt always true.
Through a process called neurogenesis, some cells in the brain grow and heal, particularly during the early years. In other words, new neurons and new connections between existing ones are sometimes created.
New brain skills are created by having new experiences and building new skills.
Every new experience you have, from grabbing a coffee at an unfamiliar cafe to hiking a mountain in a new country, can impact the brain. This can protect cognitive function and prevent age-related degeneration.
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If you feel overwhelmed, take a step back and breathe. You donβt need to win the war today. You only need to win the battle.
Instead of trying to get as much done as possible, just focus on 1% improvement every day. This will help prevent burnout and accumulate real results over time.
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Mental practice involves mentally rehearsing something before you actually do it. Professional athletes are known to implement mental practice to improve their sport, and stroke survivors can also benefit from this technique.
Try mentally practicing your rehab exercises for 5 minutes before you practice them in real life. Studies have shown that visualizing yourself moving helps activate neuroplasticity the same way that physically moving does.
Mental practice is especially helpful for survivors who are affected by paralysis and cannot move without assistance yet. It provides a way to help the brain rewire itself without requiring movement. This technique can also be combined with passive rehab exercises where someone is moving your affected limb for you.
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So what is subluxation? It is a partial dislocation of the arm at the shoulder joint that occurs in many people after a stroke. In most cases the humerus (upper arm bone) drops down out of the shoulder joint. This condition is caused by inappropriate neural drive to the muscles of the shoulder, causing either extreme muscle weakness or spastic muscles.
Stand relaxed, with your shoulders at your sides. Now you need to try to think about squeezing your shoulders towards the level of your ears. The aim is for the slope of your shoulders to become as symmetrical and as close to the horizontal as possible. Breathe in as you pull the shoulders up, hold for a few counts at the top, whilst squeezing your neck muscles together hard. Then slowly lower your shoulders again whilst breathing out. Do not rotate your shoulders β no need for that. Up, hold and down works best. Try doing this whilst looking in a mirror and evaluate your progress. Do not get down-hearted however, if it appears that your drop-shoulder is very significant. Provided it is not misaligned, I have seen the problem, and usually the pain, lessen in most cases. And over time, for many people, it will disappear as long as you are taking part in effortful exercise, especially if you able to get further into resistance training No need to hold onto any weight for now. Any weight held in your hands can come later once you are happy with the technique.
Taken from The Successful Stroke Survivor book
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There's a great exercise in The Successful Stroke Survivor book called Stick Sword-play. It's an advanced, multi-joint movement, movement, suitable for you when you have a fair degree of voluntary control. The technique is straightforward.
Itβs your time to get busy with your βswordβ, with an imaginary opponent in front of you.
Have you tried it?
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Successful Stroke Survivor Manual: Part-book and part-manual for those who have suffered a stroke and reached the end of formal stroke rehabilitation therapy. The highly motivational approach to functional training FOR ALL AGE GROUPS revealed inside is a distillation of hundreds of innovative ways created to encourage positive adaptations in the brain after stroke.
Would you like to get up from the floor without any support? YES!
Would you like to effectively tackle spasticity in your hand? YES!
Would you like to become stronger and less dependent? YES!
The Successful Stroke Survivor will show you how, and much much more.
Get Your Copy Now!
545 PAGES (A4 format)
690 illustrations, 356 photos, 130 strategies
The first (and only) book/manual written for stroke survivors to be endorsed with the Quality Mark of the United Kingdom Forum for Stroke Training
www.strokesolutions.co.uk/product/successful-stroke-survivor-manual/
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