Stretch after Stroke

A stroke occurs due to an interruption in the blood flow to the brain, either because a blood   vessel is blocked, or has ruptured.  This results in an inadequate supply of oxygen to the brain, leading to brain damage.  A stroke can occur in any area of the brain. The site and extent of the affected area determines loss of function (Orchanian, & Jamison, 2012).

Every CVA is  unique ; the effects of a CVA depends on the location and extent of the area of damage on the brain. However, they tend to affect people in similar ways. Because one side of the brain controls the opposite side of the body, a CVA affecting one side of the brain will result in neurological complications on the opposite side of the body.  Image retrieved from: http://www.familyhealthonline.ca/fho/familymedicine/FM_stroke_FHc13.asp 

I decided to look into the therapeutic value of yoga, as I know that it provides multiple health benefits, and it is an intervention which is not currently utilised much within CVA rehabilitation programmes.  I am interested in finding out how yoga may influence an individual’s ability to engage in everyday occupations post CVA. Image retrieved from: http://www.momentumbodyworkandmassage.com/yoga-class-descriptions 

Mood disorders are common in individual’s post- CVA.  Depression can manifest as a result of a brain lesion in the area that the stroke affected.  It is however most commonly due to feelings associated with loss of independence, loss of physical function, and lifestyle issues such as sedentary behaviour and social isolation.  Research also indicates that management of depression may also help improve physical functioning (Chan, Immink, & Hillier, 2012).   Image retrieved from: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/217487.php

Many individuals who have experienced a CVA experience decreased balance, which may also influence an individual’s balance self-efficacy, fear of falling, and quality of life post CVA (Schmid et al., 2012) ( Schmid, Miller, Van Puymbroeck, & DeBaun-Sprague, 2014) . Image retrieved from: http://theconversation.com/yoga-may-be-the-missing-link-to-stroke-survivors-rehabilitation-36887 

This YouTube video demonstrates how yoga helped a CVA survivor rehabilitate, improving his depression symptoms, ability to balance and improved his physical functioning. He was extremely impressed by the effectiveness of yoga in improving his symptoms, and he now teaches yoga to CVA survivors  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDa1QWTKy7c This real life experience demonstrates how yoga has been utilised as a therapuetic tool to help rehabilitate following a CVA, and the many benefits it can have for the individual, enabling them to re-engage in meaningful occupations. My next post will address how yoga may be incorporated in occupational therapy rehabilitation with individuals following a CVA.

Yoga may be utilised as a complimentary therapy alongside other occupational therapy intervention. Image retrieved from: http://littlefloweryoga.com/blog/ot-yogi-what-is-occupational-therapy-and-how-it-relates-to-children-and-yog

CVA is one of the most prevalent diseases worldwide, causing devastating impairments, influencing one’s ability to engage in everyday occupations (Lazaridou, Philbrook, & Tzika, 2013) . The physical postures in yoga help CVA survivors to gain strength, and improve flexibility and balance following their CVA, and the breathing exercises associated with yoga help to ease anxiety and depression following a CVA (Thayabaranathan et al., 2012). Image retrieved from: http://www.zenlines.com/health/benefits-chair-yoga.html 

I have enjoyed the challenge of creating a blog, as it required me to learn a new skill, and provided me with an opportunity for professional development in a topic which I am interested in. I also think a blog is an excellent way of health promotion, as it can be read by many people worldwide. This topic has meaning to me, as I have a family history of CVA, and have seen first hand the benefits of occupational therapy rehabilitation in improving quality of life. I am very interested in CVA rehabilitation due to the meaning it has to me, and have enjoyed researching alternative interventions to add to my occupational therapist tool kit.  Image retrieved from:  http://www.kongadventure.com/our-events/yoga/