Exercise prescription is a key part of a neurological rehabilitation treatment plan. A client’s progress and improvement are greatly defined by doing the right exercises at the right time.
At Propel Physiotherapy, our therapists work with clients with a wide range of neurological conditions. Even among people with the same condition, the neurological rehabilitation exercises we prescribe can vary based on the individual’s unique needs and goals.
In this blog, we hope to shed light on a variety of neurological rehabilitation exercises that can be included as part of your rehabilitation at Propel depending on your condition and the outcome of your initial assessment.
Table of Contents:
- Neurological rehabilitation exercises: physiotherapy approach
- Balance exercises for neurological rehabilitation
- Strengthening exercises for neurological rehabilitation
- Gait retraining for neurological rehabilitation
- Neurological rehabilitation exercises: occupational therapy approach
- Conclusion
Neurological Rehabilitation Exercises: Physiotherapy Approach
Neurological rehabilitation exercises are specifically designed and tailored to help individuals recover from conditions like a stroke, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, concussion, GBS and Parkinson’s disease, just to name a few.
Some key exercises will include balance training, strengthening exercises, gait retraining and coordination. In the following sections, we will demonstrate various exercises and discuss how they can help with the desired goals and outcomes.
Balance Exercises for Neurological Rehabilitation
Balance exercises are a crucial part of neurological rehabilitation. Neurological conditions affect a person’s ability to stay steady on their feet. When the signals from the brain to the muscles and sensory receptors are interrupted, then balance is disrupted. This affects one’s ability to do daily movements like standing and walking extremely challenging.
Balance exercises can range in difficulty depending on the patient’s ability. They can be simple such as standing without support, standing on one leg, or standing on a balance board of foam pad. Balance can become more challenging by adding movement such as walking in a narrow straight line and walking through an obstacle course.
Strengthening Exercises for Neurological Rehabilitation
Strengthening exercises are very important in neurological rehab. They can impact one’s ability to do functional movements such as moving around in bed, standing and transferring from their bed to their wheelchair.
Strengthening exercises target key muscles that are used for these actions: core, legs, arm. By strengthening these muscles, individuals might be able to move better and have more control over their movements.
In addition, “forced-use” exercises are commonly used in rehabilitation. It is especially helpful for those who experience a stroke, for example, where one side is significantly weaker than the other. These exercises involve intentionally using the affected limb to perform tasks instead of compensating with the stronger side.
Forced use exercises help promote more balanced muscle use and prevent patients from over-relying on the stronger side and preventing atrophy and further weakening on the muscles on the affected side.
Bridging is commonly used in rehab. It involves the patients lifting their hips off the bed. This helps strengthen the core, glutes and lower back muscles. In turn, this can help with movements such as rolling over in bed or shifting positions.
Gait Retraining for Neurological Rehabilitation
Gait retraining is important to help those with neurological injuries re-learn how to walk.
Gait retraining often includes the use of assistive devices such as parallel bars, a LiteGait machine and hands on assistance. Gait retraining involves working with patients on improving their posture, step length and coordination with movement while building the strength and endurance in the key muscle groups used for walking.
The LiteGait machine we use at Propel is powerful in helping individuals who are unable to walk independently. It promotes a more natural gait and encourages proper alignment, step length and balance. The repetitive nature of the LiteGait helps the brain and muscles re-learn efficient walking patterns, ultimately leading to improved independence with walking.
The lite gait machine has a harness system that supports part of the patient’s body weight, this can be adjusted based on how much support the patient needs with walking. It allows them to practice walking in a safe environment without the fear of falling. By reducing the fear of falling and lessening the load on the weak limbs, the LiteGait enables patients to focus on improving their walking pattern.
Neurological Rehabilitation Exercises: Occupational Therapy Approach
Some key exercises that an occupational therapist might include in a neurological rehabilitation treatment plan include mobility exercises for upper and lower extremities and fine motor skills exercises.
Cognitive exercises may also be incorporated during a treatment session. Cognitive rehabilitation therapy is a treatment approach that helps to improve a person’s ability to think and process information after an injury to the brain or illness that has affected the functioning of the brain. It aims to retrain cognitive functions that have been impaired and to assist clients to return to their daily activities.
Conclusion
Incorporating the right neurological rehabilitation exercises into a treatment plan is essential for helping individuals regain strength, balance, and mobility after an injury or diagnosis. By staying consistent with the prescribed exercises, clients can achieve remarkable progress and move forward in their recovery journey.
At Propel Physiotherapy, we tailor each exercise program to meet the unique needs of our clients, ensuring that their goals and abilities are always prioritized. Whether it’s balance training, strengthening exercises, gait retraining, or cognitive rehabilitation, our team is committed to providing the most effective therapies to help clients regain independence and improve their quality of life.
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