Who is The Successful Stroke Survivor book for? It is for stroke survivors. Depending on how long or hard you have been looking, you may have discovered that there had not yet been written a comprehensive book for stroke survivors to show you how (and why) to create your own highly effective home- based functional rehabilitation programme. I (Tom Balchin) have purposefully chosen a much more intimate, conversational style of writing than is commonly found when discussing such a serious topic as stroke, and I hope it reflects the encouraging, ‘no-nonsense’ way I speak with the stroke survivors I train. I also have illustrated it with quotes from inspirational current and historical successful people where relevant, when the memorable quotes attributed to each sum up in a few words a concept I want to relay. (Quote taken from the book).
www.strokesolutions.co.uk/.../successful-stroke.../
#neuroplasticity #neurorehab #arnistrokerehab #strokeexercise #strokesurvivorscan
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Can you guess whose point of view about recovery after stroke this is??? Yes. It's our very own Tom Balchin. (Copied from The Successful Stroke Survivor book). See if you agree with him!
On reflection, I’m not sure if there is such a thing as a uniform public image of a stroke survivor. No doubt polling a few hundred people around the world would provide a rough answer but, whatever it is, you can bet that the image returned would not resemble the Olympian picture of health and fitness. So, compliments were nice because it was a confirmation of ‘job well done’.
But actually, my transformation was not done for anyone else but myself, as a matter of dire necessity, over a period of many years. This transformation, stemming from the urgency to function better, stands in contrast to the physical development of a bodybuilder who develops his or her physique as quickly as possible, largely for the critical approval of others and whose bedroom bedroom mirror is their best friend.
I aim for your transformation also to be a deeply personal, time-rich ‘rebuilding’, standing in contrast to a ‘look at me go’ type of effort, which seeks the endorsement of others and quick-fix answers.
www.arni.co.uk
#neuroplasticity #neurorehab #arnistrokerehab #strokerecovery #strokerehabilitation #arnistroke #strokesurvivorscan #strokeexercise #strokerehab #ARNIstrokerehab
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Mental toughness comes down to your habits. It’s about doing the things you know you’re supposed to do on a more consistent basis. It’s about your dedication to daily practice and your ability to stick to a schedule. It's not about stroke recovery but these principles can be applied to your ARNI exercises. What do you think?
www.arni.co.uk
#neurorehab #strokesurvivors #arnistrokecharity #neuroplasticity #strokeexercise #arnistrokerehab
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This book, with photos and illustrations, is a one-stop ‘go-to’ to give to a family going through the painful process of having a loved one suffer stroke – or for the stroke survivor to get for themselves to add to their ‘ammo’.
Here you will find out how to cope with stroke, and recover from it optimally. It takes you through the full process; from arriving at hospital onward. Suitable therefore also for someone many years after stroke, this book reveals many hundreds of clever tips concerning how to rehabilitate effectively and self-manage at home over the long term in a relatively cost-free way..
www.strokesolutions.co.uk/.../had-a-stroke-now.../
#strokesurvivorscan #neuroplasticity #neurorehab #strokeexercise #strokerehab #strokerecovery #strokerehabilitation #neurorehabilitation #exerciseafterstroke #strokerecoveryexercises
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Post-stroke depression is far more common than most people realise - even many stroke survivors who have it don't realise that so many other survivors have it too... it's really a horrible sequelae or after-effect...
One in three of us gets some form of depression within the first year and over the longer term it can get worse; a King’s College London study (the South London Stroke Register, following 6,600 survivors) found more than HALF of survivors develop depression at some point, with most starting within five years of the stroke.
I doubt the stats will have changed much positively since the Stroke Association’s 2019 survey of over 11,000 people which showed that 78% of survivors reported depression, anxiety, low confidence, mood swings or suicidal thoughts, and 16% reported suicidal thoughts. With around 1.3 million stroke survivors in the UK, that’s a really massive number of people affected.
So what helps? Psychological therapy can sometimes help; a study of 7,597 UK survivors found a surprising 71% apparantly 'reliably improved' (at the time of questioning!) with NHS talking therapies . Antidepressants (SSRIs in particular) can help and may also aid physical recovery. We know exercise has been shown to cut post-stroke depression too (in one trial a three-month exercise programme dropped depression rates to 14% against 35% in those who didn’t do it). Staying active, getting your rehab done and keeping connected to other people are all ways forward..
What about you? Can I possibly ask you; have you been coping with low mood or depression since your stroke?
What helped you? Retraining? Medication? Or something else? Let us know please in the comments below...
www.arni.co.uk
#ARNIStrokeRehab #StrokeRecovery #PostStrokeDepression #StrokeRehab #Neuroplasticity
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Exercise: Going up steps.
For years, coaches have advised football players to do ‘stair-training’ to train the legs and test cardiovascular fitness. They understand that moving vertically against gravity yields an intense aerobic workout focusing on strengthening the lower body. We as stroke survivors can take our direction from this established practice.
Technique:
Locate the banister, and hold onto it with your good hand. Use the ‘good foot up to heaven’ rule. Place the good foot on the step normally and then lean your whole body slightly over to the good side. Pull your hip up and place your affected foot on the next step. If you have foot drop, your bad foot may well plantar flex at this point, and you may catch your toes on the lip of the stairs.
The key to the success is making sure that you learn to control the descent of the foot so that only three quarters of your foot is actually on the stair. This is all about proprioception; and the only way we have found to improve this is by repeated practice. The ball of your foot strikes the step itself and to prevent you simply falling back off again or sliding forward until you touch the back of the step, it is essential to keep moving once you have started, pulling yourself up by leaning forward into the steps, grasping the banister and almost hauling yourself up. Then simply transfer your whole weight through the bad foot once you are on it.
Find out more in The Successful Stroke Survivor book by Tom Balchin
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#neuroplasticity #strokesurvivorscan #neurorehab #strokerecovery #strokerehabilitation #ARNIstrokerehab #strokerehab #strokeexercise
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We all know the journey after a stroke can be tough and often feels isolating once formal therapy ends. That's where an ARNI Instructor can make a monumental difference; they retrain people one-to-one, providing incredibly specific, functional and intensive exercise strategies designed exactly for a survivor's unique impairments and goals. ARNI isn't some kind of generic approach; it’s personal.🎯
This specialised one-to-one focus is evidenced to have amazing effects... research and real-world results consistently show that this kind of dedicated, long-term training helps survivors regain physical function, improve balance, increase strength in affected limbs, and significantly boost their confidence and independence! Studies have demonstrated that this targeted functional practice helps trigger neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to rewire itself, leading to genuine, measurable recovery years after the initial stroke! 🌟
It helps survivors get out of a rut and back to doing things they thought were lost forever, like walking with more ease or using their affected hand more effectively. It’s all about empowering you to take control of your recovery journey and achieving those breakthroughs. 💖
If you're feeling stuck, remember there are experts like ARNI Instructors like Felicia (shown in pic) out there dedicated to helping you unlock your full potential...
www.arni.co.uk
#ARNIstrokerehab #StrokeSurvivor #OneToOneRehab #RecoveryJourney #Neuroplasticity #StrongerTogether #HopeAfterStroke
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When attention is divided between physical therapy and the radio playing in the background, you’re not reaping the full benefits of your efforts.
Make sure that you’re getting the most benefit from your exercises by creating a quiet, distraction-free environment. Turn off the television and tell family members not to disturb you until you’re done.
Your brain is hard at work rewiring itself. Don’t let distraction get in the way!
www.arni.co.uk
#neurorehab #strokeexercise #neuroplasticity #arnistrokerehab #strokesurvivors #ARNIstrokerehab #strokesurvivorscan
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And here's the proof: the new UK SSNAP shows Fewer than 1 in 15 stroke survivors get the rehab they’re meant to! These stats keep getting worse and worse even as more and more public money goes into the NHS....
The new national audit (SSNAP, run out of King’s College London) found only 6.4% of patients got the recommended three hours of therapy a day, five days a week, in early 2026. Which is down from 7.5% from the end of 2024... astonishing isn't it?
And average therapy dropped from 46 minutes a day to 40. And depending which hospital you're in, daily therapy ranges from just 15 minutes to 57 - nearly a fourfold difference - it's a horrible mess -and the government should most definitely prioritiise this rather than handing our money out on improving roads in Romania etc.
Once survivors get home, only 68% get ANY continuing rehab support at all. Meaning 32% get absolutely NOTHING.
And even the therapy that does get delivered is usually the wrong kind. We need intensive, repetitive, task-specific practice; YOU making the movement, over and over, with real intent - but in typical NHS physio and OT sessions, patients manage a median of just 32 arm reps btw - whereas the dose actually shown to drive neuroplasticity is several HUNDRED a day. We're all aware that being moved isn’t the same as moving.
So the audit really shows two problems: way too little therapy (a resourcing issue for the NHS), and that a large part of what IS given being far too passive and low-rep to drive any real recovery.
This is where ARNI comes in. With over 100 qualified instructors across the UK, ARNI teaches survivors how to train actively at home, at the intensity and reps the evidence actually calls for, long after NHS therapy has tailed off. Being coached, pushed, guided and guarded to do the repetitive, task-specific work yourself (rather than passive ‘treatment’ being administered onto you) - and bringing in family and friends to assist and encourage where professionals can’t always be present.
Were YOU offered enough rehab after your stroke? Let me know in the comments below.
www.arni.co.uk
#ARNIStrokeRehab #StrokeRecovery #StrokeRehab #Neuroplasticity #StrokeRehabilitation
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Many people will want to do some form of cardiovascular exercise daily. Go for it. If this is not achievable, it’s advised that you complete 10-60 minutes, 3-6 days per week, depending on your status and the intensity of the exercise being completed. This may sound like a lot to do, but it does need to be contemplated. And it doesn’t have to be onerous at all.
Intensity of exercise is dependent on your heart rate or the amount of effort you feel you’re exerting. The more intense the activity, the higher your heart rate will be. And the less time you’ll probably need to train for. You’ll soon find that you can create a weekly plan which allows you to slot in some frequent but short sessions of cardiovascular exercise.
www.arni.co.uk
If you need some help the call us on 0203 053 0111 or email support@arni.uk.com to find out if there's a trainer near you who can help you.
www.arni.uk.com #neurorehabilitation #neurorehab #neuroplasticity #strokeexercise #exerciseafterstroke #strokerecoveryexercises
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