Ask a doctor - What is best treatment for hemiplegia in physiotherapy?

Q. What is best treatment for hemiplegia in physiotherapy?

Doctor Answer is medically reviewed by SecondMedic medical review team.

Answered by Secondmedic Expert

When it comes to the best treatment for hemiplegia in physiotherapy, the main focus is to reduce impairments and help restore functional ability. Generally speaking, several types of treatments are used depending on the individual's needs and goals.

First, neuromuscular re-education focuses on restoring normal movement through practice and retraining of muscles. This would involve activities such as balance training, strengthening exercises, stretching exercises and range of motion movements that are done repetitively until the person can perform them with improved coordination.

Second, gait training is focused on increasing the speed at which a person can walk or run independently by improving their body mechanics. Therapists use various strategies such as treadmill walking with assistance from side rails or therapists manually moving leg joints during ambulation to retrain proper gait patterns safely and efficiently.

Thirdly, functional mobility training helps increase independence in both daily living activities and recreational activities by providing strategies to keep individuals safe while moving around indoors or outdoors in their everyday environments. This could include things like learning how to navigate stairs more easily while using assistive devices (cane/walker), learning adaptive transfers from bed/chair/toilet etc., along with wheel chair mobility when needed for longer distances within home & community settings.

Fourthly, aquatic therapy is a great option for those who may have difficulty achieving challenging physical tasks due to pain or spasticity since water provides resistance for strengthening exercises without causing instability issues commonly experienced in weight-bearing positions on land based treatments. It also promotes relaxation by reducing muscle tension which greatly improves range of motion gains & posture control from relaxed states underwater compared to traditional dry land interventions .

Overall there are many options available when it comes to treating hemiplegia through physiotherapy; however one should consult an experienced physiotherapist specialized in neurological conditions prior commencing any program so they can get tailored intervention specifically relevant for what they need most!