Commentary: World Stroke Day 2024: The Imperative Of Good Physiotherapy Care
World Stroke Day is observed on October twenty-ninth every year with aims to underscore the serious nature and high rates of stroke. World Stroke Day was established in 2004 by the World Stroke Organization. In 2010, World Stroke Organization declared stroke a public health emergency to curb the increasing mortality and disability due to the lack of awareness and proper accessibility of diagnosis and care to everyone. Since then World Stroke Organization has worked to improve stroke systems of care through policy changes that help ensure severe stroke patients get the level of care they need to survive and thrive.
Stroke is a non-communicable disease that attacks millions of people worldwide every year.
The World Stroke campaign aims to encourage people to understand stroke risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high blood cholesterol. Although the elderly age group is more commonly affected by stroke, it also can occur to anyone at any age. Understanding the risk factors and recognizing the symptoms may help in preventing a brain stroke. According to World Stroke Organization, stroke can be prevented by maintaining healthy lifestyle, avoiding smoking, avoiding alcohol intake, regular physical activity, dietary modifications, including reducing consumption of salt, meats and sweets. as well as regular health checkups.
Stroke happens when the blood supply to part of your brain is cut off either by blood clot or rupture of the blood vessel. Without blood, brain cells can be damaged or destroyed. This damage can have different effects depending on where it happens in the brain. Body mobility and speech, as well as thinking and feeling can all be affected. Recognizing the signs of stroke and getting medical help fast is one of the best ways to improve the outcome of a stroke.
The good news is that a stroke surviving victim can recoup some or all his previous abilities when early rehabilitation by means of good and labour-intensive physiotherapy care is put in place.
Accepting and adjusting to life of stroke is fundamental to a stroke survivor’s recovery and well being.
Stroke rehabilitation in form of physiotherapy plays important role in recovery after stroke. It is designed to help you relearn skills lost after a stroke. Depending on the parts of the brain affected by the stroke, physiotherapy can help with movement, strength and daily living skills. Stroke rehabilitation can help victims regain independence and improve quality of their life.
Researchers have found that people who participate in a focused physiotherapy program perform better than most people who don’t have physiotherapy care. Therefore physiotherapy skillfully performed is recommended for all people affected by stroke.
In line with the commemoration of the World Stroke Day, the Stroke disability Care Initiative- an affiliate member of World Stroke Organization, shall conduct a one-day free physiotherapy care intervention for stroke disabled-persons at Omega Physiotherapy and Back Pain Care clinic at Number thirty-four Okolo street, Onitsha on the twenty-ninth October 2024 and at Number twenty-one Emma Nnaemeka Street, off Arthur Eze Avenue, Awka on 30th October 2024.