During a stroke, part of your brain's motor area can be damaged, resulting in paralysis of a specific muscle or muscle group. This happens because the damaged brain area no longer sends motor signals to the muscle.
The goal of rehabilitation is to practice until another part of your brain "learns" to take over the lost motor function. With relentless practice – even when nothing seems to move – you can retrain your brain to move the paralyzed muscle.
Some experts believe that ten thousand repetitions are needed for relearning. That means you need continuous practice, even when there appears to be no hope!
- If after a stroke you sit slumped in a chair and do nothing, you have no chance of recovery.
- If someone occasionally comes to move your paralyzed hand and massage your muscles, but you still do nothing yourself, your chances do not improve.
- If your paralyzed muscles are treated daily with a muscle stimulator, you’ve taken a tiny step toward improvement. But this is far from enough for a breakthrough success.
- If you continuously try to repeat the movements you’ve lost, your brain works continuously to reconnect with the affected muscle. This already greatly improves your chances.
- The most effective method is to combine modern electrotherapy treatments (biofeedback and/or ETS) with intentional movement attempts. This multiplies the likelihood of regaining lost function!
Practice combined with stimulation should be started as early as possible after paralysis begins. Immediately after the life-threatening condition has been addressed. Continue both in the hospital and at home. It may take months, even 1–2 years, to achieve the desired result.
For the treatment of central paralysis, you minimally need a good-quality muscle stimulator. The so-called ETS device, which detects your voluntary movement and electrically assists the paralyzed muscle, is advantageous.
