How long does rehabilitation after a stroke take?
Ewa Słoma
MSc in Physiotherapy
Therapy results
What patients say about us
A stroke is a life-threatening emergency and should be treated as such. The patient should be cared for by an interdisciplinary team working closely together. It should include a doctor, a nurse, a physiotherapist, a speech and language therapist, an occupational therapist and a clinical psychologist (neuropsychologist).
The therapy programme should be set according to the therapeutic techniques available to the team, their intensity and how long treatment lasts. Whatever the circumstances, rehabilitation should always begin as early as possible. The therapy team teaches the patient about prevention, recognising symptoms, being aware of any coexisting conditions and the possible complications.
In therapy, what matters most is starting early, setting both short- and long-term goals, regularly assessing the patient’s current state, and adjusting therapeutic techniques to achieve the best possible results. Most programmes also focus on education and on the psychosocial concerns of both the patient and their family or immediate circle.
How long rehabilitation after a stroke lasts varies greatly. Many factors come into play, including the type of stroke, the extent of the damage, the patient’s age, coexisting conditions, willingness to cooperate, the level of communication between patient and therapist, how often therapy takes place, the therapeutic methods used and when therapy after a stroke begins.
The poorer the patient’s physical and mental condition, the smaller the chance of regaining full function and of a short course of therapy. Patients who have had several strokes or extensive damage sometimes do not regain full function. Even so, with the help of qualified and experienced therapists, a stroke patient can regain the greatest degree of function that is possible for them.
Overall, rehabilitation after a stroke may last from 6–8 weeks to six months, or even many years where the patient has a complex medical history. The clinical signs — such as hemiparesis or hemiplegia, aphasia-type speech difficulties, problems with vision, dizziness and headaches, nausea, vomiting or balance and gait disorders — subside differently in each individual.
It is important to start planning short-term, functional goals that will help in the patient’s everyday life, such as brushing their teeth, picking up a cup or putting on their socks. Working towards these small goals gives the patient extra motivation to continue therapy, because a realistic aim has been set and the patient can see the results of their rehabilitation.
Rehabilitation after a stroke is divided into early, late and outpatient rehabilitation. In the first days after a stroke, individually tailored therapy is just as important as intensive medical and nursing care. Therapy started at the bedside, and then away from the bed, is most often carried out in rehabilitation wards within hospital settings.
After such a stay, it is important to continue therapy at rehabilitation centres that run neurological rehabilitation stays, where the patient is assured of professional, individual therapy that helps to build on the results achieved during hospital treatment. Outpatient therapy can be carried out at home, in rehabilitation clinics and outpatient units, and at day-care centres.
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