Thank you for your encouragement. I am not really at that stage yet as I cant grasp anything. Mostly my hand is a tight fist. I can just about move my forearm from my side over my body to my chin, but doing it the other way is much more difficult. My elbow isn't really functioning and physio are very keen to get the elbow straight. But when I do that the hand is into fist mode at once.
Thank you so much for your post. I manipulate my hand every day. The default position is a tight fist so when occasionally the muscles relax it is a victory. Physio are concentrating on getting my elbow straight, but that definitely sends the hand into fist mode. I have a hand splint to flatten out the fingers. The hand means I have a zimmer frame with a stick I grasp in the middle. I started with a walking stick but felt very unsafe at home so they gave me the zimmer. Then came lock down! I feel I should be progressing to a stick again but the lack of a strong person at my shoulder in case of wobbles frightens me. My hubby would not be strong enough if I stumbled. But in other ways I think I have been very lucky, I sleep well and have no serious pain.
You are going well, probably better than you realize. If you can manage just a little movement of every muscle every day then things will be better when you can get a proper physio.
If you cant move one or more muscle the way you want to, then for the time being, concentrate on imagining you are moving the muscle. This is a good yoga trick, to visualize movement. It will also make your brain aware of all the stuff your brain is controlling. The stroke didnt damage any of your limbs, it is "just" the messaging service.
I do feel for you, and all the other SS in "early days" oh boy did it drag. Its all slow slow slow. I am so lucky that my recovery went well. The mobility went unbeliebably well, in fact it was miraculous. Never ever give up. You can always get improvement
Smile
Be positive
You are not alone
Colin
I had my stroke in2016 and lost the use of my left hand an arm, after some intensive physio, I managed to get some ability to squeeze fingers together but sadly, the movement hasn’t remained, I have had Botox but again sadly without any success, never say never but I am beginning to lose faith in ever getting movement back but I think that a lot of it is down to me putting more exercise time in, so good to read some exercise ideas posted here, good luck
Hello - I also lost use of my left arm, hand and leg after my stroke. My leg came to life again quicker than my fingers although I walked with a bad limp for 3 months. My leg and arm is back to normal now but I still struggle with fiddly things with my fingers. I had to learn how to tie shoe laces again, prepare vegetables, peel things and throw and catch again. I can catch now with not much difficulty but I still can't throw things so they land correctly e.g., paper into the waste basket. In my head, I am on target when I throw but in reality, I'm miles off!
My little finger and ring finger on my left hand still go numb from time to time but constant exercise and practice has helped a lot. My stroke was in 2017. I haven't had any botox and only 3 NHS sessions with a physio which was useless. Mostly talking and no hands on treatment. I paid private for physio and it helped enormously although I appreciate this isn't always an option. We were lucky enough to receive a small payout from an insurance policy which paid for mine.
The playdough putty is a good exercise for squeeze control as is each finger touching the tip of the thumb over and over again. I do this whilst watching TV on a night and it helps loosen the fingers up really well. I hope you manage to get some relief soon but hang on in there!
very similar experience
have been fortunate to have had the botox treatment which did help to relieve the stiffness and stop the fing88 curling up. so if you can get it once the lock down is over, itt should help. my last appointment was cancelled due to coronavirus restrictions but I am pleased to say that I probably didn't need it as the spasticity seems to have reduced by itself. I still can't yet extend my fingers voluntarily, so do not yet have any useful functionality. I can grip a little but fingers are very weak. I was delighted the other day to get a flicker of movement in my wrist. that's new and really encouraging. I am four years post stroke and was also beginning to lose heart. but as another respondents has commented there's no time scale for recovery. I had some treatment at the National Hospital in Queens Square. they have an intensive upper limb programme but their entry requirements are quite high and I didn't meet the threshold for admission. but they did tell me that they were working with some people much further on than me in terms of time since stroke, who were making progress. my recent breakthrough has been to accept that I am significantly disabled but can also continue to work on recovering what can be recovered. it isn't either /or. so is this it? you ask, very probably not, but it will be down to you. someone else noted that it is very small changes you should look for. the tiny movement in my wrist isn't much but it indicates that a new connection has been made, and I understand, have been taught that repetition is essential to strengthen the new neural connections. I won't be able to play guitar or even tie shoelaces any time soon, and maybe not ever. but I remain hopeful for small gains.
keep up your hope. this is very hard, there's no doubt about that. look out for tiny gains and celebrate those, and keep repeating them. your brain will get the hang of it slowly. s.. low.. ly!
good luck and we're all rooting for you.
best wishes
Tony
Look up arm exercises and do them passively. Let your other arm help to move your stroke arm. This way you're still activating neuroplasticity. My husband had his stroke in October and we set up a timetable and just Googled exercises and did so many. When he was at the right stage we did lots of handwriting practice. We started with tracing patterns then moved onto individual words and then sentences. Finally we wrote more to help with stamina. He's doing so well now. Good luck.
Just keep on going I hope it will come
Thank you this is so useful, especially as I feel I am in Groundhog Day when every day is the same and I'm not going anywhere. Good news is that physio has come back and I am starting onthe stick again. I think they have sort of given up on my hand, and are talking about Botox. Problem that the specialist has to come from Aberdeen to Orkney and with lock down who knows when that will be. I do the visualisation stuff and so often feel that it must have moved only to find it hasn't, so I feel the potential is there. I was getting acupuncture before which did help, but that has stopped. I must be patient!
Thanks.
All good ideas, but I am not at that stage yet.
Dear Sue
Gosh yes, do I remember that scenario. However, I kept a stroke diary, with a note of how I was doing each day. This helped me to grasp that there was improvement going on, but it hardly showed.
Please do not give up on any bit of you. There is so much improvement to be had. Acupunture, yoga and any other he;p will be likely to get improvement. The main benefit will come from you.A positive attitude and lots of smiles.
Best wishes
Colin
Yes I have had the operation and it was successful. I understand that the likelihood of a second stroke it was greatly reduced because of it
Thanks that’s a really positive response, gives me hope good luck with the throwing arm, I am sure it will improve
Dear Sue
I am sorry to hear that you have had your stroke services withdrawn especially since you are still quite early post-stroke. I am a physio working in a neuro-rehab unit where we use the GRASP programme with people who have upper limb weakness following a stroke
https://neurorehab.med.ubc.ca/grasp/grasp-manuals-and-resources/
It has different grades of exercises that you can do you need to complete a short form to access it and will only get one email from them after. I would recommend trying to use your hand even if it is just lifting your thumb up and down as much as possible. One of the most important things for recovery is the intensity of practice - trying to do exercises for hundreds of repetitions a day is key but making sure that what you are doing is a correct movement pattern, isolating just the part that you are intending to move and avoiding moving any other part of your body. You may need to build up to these numbers gradually. Always try to give the body part that you are moving a target to move to even if it is just a line on a piece of paper.
I hope that is of some help
Debbie
Hi Sue,
I'm 3 years post stroke which left my left side paralysed. Like you I'm unable to do most of the exercises recommended as my hand is in a tight fist. I have botox injections to help with muscle tone, which you should have every 3-4 months, however as it's a specialist treatment my appointments have always been much further apart and I haven't had an injection since November last year. My next appointment should be at the end of June but I doubt it will take place in the current situation.
I also use a 4 channel fes machine (functional electronic stimulation) on my arm everyday, sadly this hasn't really helped very much up to now but I'm not giving up. I also tried opening and closing one of the drawers in my kitchen with my right hand helping my affected hand. I did this regularly and I can now do this with my left hand, which was a great achievement ?. I still do this most days but it's sometimes difficult to get my fingers in a good position on the handle. I just keep trying whatever I can do. I was also told in rehab to try and incorporate my affected hand in as much activity as you can. With the help of my right hand I use my affected hand to push cupboard doors closed or to push the bathroom door open. When I'm cleaning my teeth I place my left hand on the side of the basin. At first it was difficult to keep it there but I now manage to lift it up and place it there, even though it slips about a bit.
Keep trying !! Easier said than done at times.
Regards
Sue
Hi there I am approaching one year after stroke still no movement with left arm I do exercise it every day I fo this by visiting you tube flint fit best left hand exercise there are a great many sites on you tube that you can visit there are loads of videos tyatvyou can follow flint fit an seabo have good video programmes I would also recommend dr tara tobias at orlando nuerology just type you tube dr tara tobias in you search engine she has a series of videos covering hand arms and walking
I HOPE THIS HELPS BEST WISHES
Peter B
Hi ! Only just seen your message. Unfortunately my op was cancelled at the last second as my blood pressure was too high! So upset.
Kathy
I have spasticity in my bicep, which sometimes gets out of hand (excuse the pun) I found the Botox fairly ineffective. I also have some central post stroke pain, so sometimes don't know where spasticity ends and CPSP starts! I have got help from 'Stroke Solutions' (see website) 'Orlando Neuro Therapy' (see YouTube) and doing Pilates (still can't do downward dog though!). Anything weight-bearing is useful.
Hi my husdand Peter has his 3rd stroke in January effecting his left side, he unfortunately has an auerysm that cant be operated on. He has muscle spasitity in his left arm but has recently had botox injections in his arm, shoulder and hand, which has really made a differnce to the tightness. There are some good exercises on "Saebo" an American site which might help also "passive exercises from the physios.
I do find the tightness frustrating as his hand can relax fully when doing the exercises in the morning but later can get very tight again and his hand also gets very cold.