Sensory Rehabilitation - Post stroke rehabilitation

Sensory Rehabilitation Post Stroke Rehabilitation Sensory Rehabilitation The brain has a detailed map of the body where our tactile senses are registered and interpreted. Sensation may be impaired after stroke due to damaged pathways for sensation in the brain.

Some stroke patients experience numbness, tingling and hypersensitivity. They may also lose the ability to feel touch, pain, temperature, or position.

Sensory rehabilitation aims to retrain sensory pathways or stimulate unused pathways. Sensory rehabilitation techniques can include touching different textured objects, massage, vibration, pressure, determining joint position and identifying different temperatures.

Stroke survivors tend to avoid using affected limbs in a behaviour called learned non-use. Physical therapists can help regain the use of stroke-affected limbs, teach compensatory strategies, and reduce the effect of remaining impairments.

Exercise Guidelines Perform exercises 2-4 times per day for 10-15 minutes in a quiet and relaxed environment.

Sensory Rehabilitation Exercises 1. Start by using vision to understand what the hand is touching. Pay close attention to the tactile experience. Try verbalising sensations felt.

Try to differentiate between textures (i.e. cotton, sandpaper, satin, velcro, rubber, velvet, wool). Gently brush different materials over skin and compare the different sensations between the affected and unaffected side.

2. Have another person touch you on one spot with a sharp or blunt object with your eyes open, then with eyes closed.

Try to associate where you saw the object touch and how it felt on your skin.

3. Fill a paper cup half full with water. Grasp the cup without

crushing it or spilling the water.

Use your vision to determine how much force you are using.

When grasping, don't apply more force than is necessary.

Disclaimer: Exercises illustrated and instructed in this handout are strictly for designated patients based on the assessment and instruction of the therapist. If you have any doubts, please contact your physiotherapist.

Yishun Health is a network of medical institutions and health facilities in the north of Singapore, under the National Healthcare Group.

Admiralty Medical Centre • (65) 6807 8000 • www.admiraltymedicalcentre.com.sg Khoo Teck Puat Hospital • (65) 6555 8000 • www.ktph.com.sg Yishun Community Hospital • (65) 6807 8800 • www.yishuncommunityhospital.com.sg The information is correct at the time of printing and subject to revision without further notice.

NEURO.PE.PT.065.0320