Movement and
exercise after
stroke
Summary
•A stroke can affect parts of the
brain that control your arms and
legs. This may result in paralysis or
weakness.
•Most improvement usually
happens in the first six months
after a stroke. But recovery may
still continue to happen even years
after the stroke.
•Your therapists will work with
you to practice movements and
activities that will help you recover.
The more you practice, the better
your recovery!
•Continuing to exercise will help to
keep any movement that you get
back after the stroke. It will also
help to reduce the risk of having
another stroke.
Fact Sheet
Call StrokeLine 1800 STROKE (787 653)
What is the link between
movement and stroke?
• The brain controls everything we do including
how we move.
• A stroke can affect parts of your brain that
control your arms and legs. This can result in
paralysis (the loss of ability in your arm or leg)
or weakness.
• Because a stroke affects the brain the
problem is generally not in the arm or leg
muscles themselves.
• This can cause problems moving your arm
or leg, walking and/or balancing. This can be
frustrating and sometimes devastating.
• Lack of exercise can make the problem
worse when already weakened muscles
become even weaker.
What is a mobility
assessment?
It is important you have a full mobility
assessment. This will look at how you move
your arms and legs and how well you can
move around. It can also look at how well you
sit, stand, walk and/or use a walking aid or
wheelchair.
Physiotherapists have special training in
identifying movement problems that may be
caused by a stroke. They also give you therapy
to help improve activities such as walking,
keeping your balance and using your arm.
Fact Sheet | Movement and exercise after stroke
Movement and exercise after stroke
How well will I recover?
Recovery after stroke can be slow. It is hard to
predict how much recovery will happen. Generally,
recovery is most rapid in the first six months.
But recovery can still continue to happen for
years after a stroke. This is especially true if you
keep active and use your affected arm or leg the
best you can. The more you practice the more
likely you are to help your recovery. Establishing
exercise as a part of your daily routine can help
you get strong and fit despite the effects of the
stroke. It’s a good idea to talk to your general
practitioner or a physiotherapist before beginning
a new exercise program.
How will the stroke affect
me?
Difficulty with moving or falling after a stroke can
be caused by:
• Weakness (or paralysis) in your leg and/or arm
muscles.
• Loss of sensation or feeling. Sometimes there
can be a loss of feeling in the skin or in the
joints themselves.
• Poor coordination or balance. This is often
because of weakness or loss of feeling.
• Muscle or joint stiffness. Muscles and joints
can become stiff if they are not used normally.
• Spasticity (increase in muscle tightness) may
also make it hard to move your arm or leg.
• Shoulder pain or subluxation (bones moving
out of normal position). This is caused by weak
shoulder muscles not being able to support
the shoulder properly and may cause pain.
• Lack of energy (or fatigue). If you have difficulty
moving you will need to put more effort and
energy into moving. This may lead to increased
fatigue. Fatigue after stroke is not yet fully
understood, but it is likely that exercise can
help fatigue. See the Fatigue after stroke fact
sheet for more information.
What therapy should I do?
What else can I do?
Movement problems affect each person
differently. Your therapy program should meet
your personal needs and goals. Your therapist
will work with you to decide the best program for
you.
Research has found that the more you do,
the better you get. You should try to do as
much as you can during therapy time. Your
therapist should suggest activities that you
can do by yourself or with the help of family
or friends outside of therapy time. You may
also need to check with your doctor in case
you have other medical conditions (such as a
heart condition) that may mean you need to
plan your activity carefully.
Different therapies may include:
• Practicing tasks/activities that you have
difficulty doing. This may include rolling over in
bed, sitting or standing up. It can also include
walking and using your hand or arm.
• Exercising to improve your strength, sensation
(ability to sense or feel things), coordination,
balance or fitness. Often this can be done as
you practice normal activities such as standing
or walking. Exercises that use electrical
stimulation and other equipment (for example
treadmills) may also be used as part of your
therapy. This will help improve your ability to
move.
• Joining a fitness centre, club in the community,
or exercise program at your local community
health care centre. This can help to keep you
fit. Often after a stroke, fitness levels drop.
Therefore it is important to keep yourself as
active as possible in the long-term. Talk to your
therapist about how best to keep fit.
• Keep moving stiff muscles and joints. If you
have stiffness, movement can help reduce the
stiffness and/or pain. Specific exercises may
help.
• Learning how to walk safely. This may include
the help of an aid like a frame or walking stick.
Never use a frame or walking stick without
getting advice first. Your therapist will help you
work out if you need a walking aid.
• Limiting the use of your good arm to
encourage use of the affected arm. This is
called ‘constraint induced movement therapy’
(CIMT). Research has found that ‘forcing’ you
to use your affected arm can improve recovery
of your affected arm. It is important to talk to
your therapist first.
Continuing to exercise will
help you keep any movement
that you get back after your
stroke. It will also keep you
as healthy as possible,
reduce many risk factors for
stroke and can also help you
feel more positive and have
more energy.
Fact Sheet | Movement and exercise after stroke
For more information
If you or your family have any questions you should
ask your physiotherapist or general practitioner.
National Stroke Foundation
National Office
Level 7, 461 Bourke Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: +61 3 9670 1000
Email: [email protected]
www.strokefoundation.com.au
We have offices in Brisbane, Sydney, Hobart and Perth.
Australian Physiotherapy Association
Phone: 03 9092 0888
Email: [email protected]
www.physiotherapy.asn.au
Call StrokeLine 1800 STROKE (787 653)
Proudly supported by Allergan Australia P/L.
For a complete list of fact sheets, visit our online
library at www.strokefoundation.com.au
© National Stroke Foundation. This fact sheet was developed by the
National Stroke Foundation together with Australian Physiotherapy
Association. FS08_May2012
Printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper.
Fact Sheet | Movement and exercise after stroke