Movement and Exercise
Moving around safely and easily may not be something you think about, unless you’ve had a stroke. Many stroke survivors have trouble moving around. These problems range from balance issues to arm or leg paralysis. As a result, about 40 percent of stroke survivors have serious falls within a year of their strokes. But, there is good news. Rehab and therapy may improve your balance and ability to move.
Movement
The most common physical effect of stroke is muscle weakness and having less control of an affected arm or leg. Survivors often work with therapists to restore strength and control through exercise programs. They also learn skills to deal with the loss of certain body movements.
Paralysis and Spasticity
Paralysis is the inability of muscle or group of muscles to move on their own. After stroke, signals from the brain to the muscles often don’t work right. This is due to stroke damage to the brain. This damage can cause an arm or leg to become paralyzed and/or to develop spasticity.
Spasticity is a condition where muscles are stiff and resist being stretched. It can be found throughout the body but may be most common in the arms, fingers or legs. Depending on where it occurs, it can result in an arm being pressed against the chest, a stiff knee or a pointed foot that interferes with walking. It can also be accompanied by painful muscle spasms.