Stroke Rehab: Proven Techniques to Regain Functional Use of the UE and LE

After suffering a stroke, many emerge feeling trapped in a body that no longer works and fear the life they know is gone. Further more, standard treatment strategies end with persistent long-term deficits and very basic gross motor skills at best. Your patient does not have to accept this fate and with the correct skillset, neither should you. Stroke rehabilitation des not have to be an either/or scenario - patients do not have to choose between walking or the ability to regain use of their arm!

While you may not know techniques to facilitate movement in a flaccid UE and LE are similar, do you know how to improve each individuality as movement emerges? Are you able to easily identify methods to "force" movement and drive neuroplastic in motor control and sensory recovery? Can we re-create automatic movement (without thinking)? Do not miss this opportunity to get answers to these questions and leave with a groundbreaking evidence-based skillset to achieve life changing results for your patients!

You are working with a 68-year-old patient two weeks after a stroke who is demonstrating minimal but observable wrist and finger extension + sensory impairment in their affected arm. Can you help this person achieve full use of their arm to dress, carry items while walking, open doors and turn on faucets? After this course - your response should be a resounding... Yes!

Unfulfilled rehabilitation potential is one of the greatest losses a stroke patient may face. Do not miss your opportunity to learn the skills needed to completely redefine what is possible for quality of life after a stroke.

By the end of the course, a successful participant will be able to: 

•  Analyze objective assessment data to gauge prognosis, treatment timeline and progression.
• Propose 3 techniques to successfully facilitate motion in the flaccid UE and LE.
• Investigate evidence-based applications for post stroke gait training to achieve independent community ambulation.
• Demonstrate how to use dual task interference to promote automaticity in recovery of mobility and ADLs.
• Discriminate spasticity vs tone, the functional implications, and the best evidence in management of each.
• Propose 3 applications of forced use therapy for LE motor recovery.

Program Outline

1. Severe stroke mechanisms and prognostic guidelines
   1. When you have seen one stroke…you have seen one
   2. Applications specific to mechanism and severity – learn how to tailor your approach to the stage of recovery
   3. Determine prognosis and timelines for the UE and LE
   4. Spasticity vs tone are not the same problem
2. Apply evidence to drive neuroplasticity: Upper Extremity
   1. Flaccid to “Found”
   2. Found to Function
   3. Force more recovery: CIMT and beyond – Techniques and tasks beyond a constraint
3. Apply evidence to drive neuroplasticity: Lower Extremity & Fall Risk
   1. Tasks and activities to facilitate movement
4. Engage our patients to optimize outcomes
   1. OPTIMAL Theory, External Focus, Behavior Economics