Thousands of Stroke Survivors worldwide are trying to continue their stroke recovery possibilities without a knowledgeable physical therapist. Most Insurance companies provide a limited amount of physical therapy sessions for stroke survivors. Often a survivor will have the belief that when physical therapy ends, that means their ability to regain back movements, balance, walking, stability and more that was lost by their stroke also has ended. In most cases this is not true.
There is no time limit on stroke recovery. It’s been said that after six months or after a year a survivor can not make more gains in their recovery, but THIS IS NOT TRUE! Each stroke survivor recovers at their own pace and their brain’s timing and ability to heal. There are insurance companies and therapist that will document that a survivor is not making any more progress therefore there is no more insurance paid physical therapy sessions. In some cases a specific stroke survivor’s brain needed more time to gain back a stronger recovery, but they were not given the time.
When I was training my client Gary, that is written about in my books “Dear Stroke You Suck” “The Stroke of An Artist” The journey of a Fitness Trainer and a Stroke Survivor”, Gary and I both became very aware to how many personal trainers do not have advanced education in the knowledge of muscles. This inspired me with a strong passion to help get the knowledge I know out to other fitness professionals so they can help survivor’s continue their stroke recovery when they do not have physical therapy help.
I did a survey with about 200+ stroke survivors. I asked them to share with me the challenges they may have come across while trying to find a fitness professional to help them in their stroke recovery after their physical therapy has ended.
Although I had many answers and some very shocking stories, the repeated responses by many survivors and caregivers were:
“Personal trainers don’t know muscles”
“Personal trainers don’t know what they are doing”
“They treat us like we are irrelevant”.
I share more stories about the answers to this question in this book, “Stroke Recovery What Now? When Physical Therapy Ends, But Your Recovery continues”.
The moment I read all the answers from survivors and their care givers, I decided I need to get knowledge out their and if not for personal trainers and fitness professionals, but for stroke survivors and caregivers can gain knowledge to help themselves more as well as to help a survivor and caregiver choose a fitness or physical therapist professional with the extra knowledge needed to help a survivors in their recovery.
What is important to know: If a fitness professional has limited education and/or a physical therapist has limited knowledge of muscles and movement and stroke recovery, the survivors recovery will be limited. This is essential to know as you as a stroke survivor reaches out for help with a professional.
It’s like a doctor being a primary care/general physician. If they want to be a specialist in any subject, such as a brain surgeon, they must further their education. This is the same for personal trainers and physical therapist. There is the general certification and or license to be achieved, test taken and passed. But they are not trained in advanced medical and/or physical conditions unless they take the time to gain the extra knowledge and qualifications.
I share what I just shared because often people think each personal trainer and or physical therapist gets taught all the same knowledge and this is not true. The more knowledge a stroke survivor, their family, friends, and or caregiver can gain, the better chance of achieving more gains in stroke recovery as well as a better chance of finding a professional that can be trusted.
I share often that Knowledge Is Power in Stroke Recovery.
I read recently that Applied Knowledge is Power.
Never give up!
This book and my other books can be purchased on Amazon in Kindle and Paperback.
The books can also be purchased here on this website through me. If you get it through me at my website I will sign it to you and mail it out. But, I will say if you order through Amazon, the book gets delivered faster to the customer.
www.amazon.com/author/tracymarkley.com
See my other books:
Stroke Recovery Regaining Arm Movement
Stroke Recovery Leg Stability and Walking Gait
Dear Stroke You Suck - The Journey of a Fitness Trainer and a Stroke Survivor
The Stroke of An Artist - The Journey of a Fitness Trainer and a Stroke Survivor (also on audible)
(Both the above book is the same, it was revised with a new title. Dear Stroke you Suck is in larger print and larger illustrations, but both the same story"
Your Brain - The Engine to Your Body - A Fitness Trainer's Guide to Brain Health
and others.....
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