When a person has a stroke, it can injure portions of the brain that affect the other side of the body. This can make one side of the body weak or paralyzed and can make it difficult or impossible to walk. Sometimes stroke patients lose sensation in parts of their body. When this happens to a foot, walking can be impossible at first. Studies show that intense treatment during the stroke recovery period can help some of the long-term disabilities that are a result of the stroke.

Relearning to Walk

A person who experienced a stroke first must be in a stable condition to start rehabilitation. But before walking is considered, a physical therapist will need to establish the weak areas of the body that need to be addressed. Therapist may suggest certain exercises to strengthen these muscles. Sometimes those muscles are not related to the legs or feet but are important as there are eight phases of movement that happen when a step is taken. In a healthy person, the brain tells the muscles how to move and they comply. With a stroke patient, their bodies do not comply. The therapist will help to reestablish the input for the brain. This will send messages to the brain until the patient relearns to walk.

See a Doctor or Therapist

There is not one way to get stroke patients to relearn walking. Many different methods are used by therapists. It can take months or years to be able to walk again but the challenge is worth it to restore quality of life of stroke patients. Walking is not recommended for stroke patients who are not supervised and have heart problem, pain. The best recovery results may be achieved at rehabilitation facilities with proper equipment under supervision of a doctor and a therapist.