Pilates for Hemiplegia
- Elissa VB
- Apr 6, 2022
- 2 min read
Hemiplegia is a condition which leads to paralysis on one side of the body. It is a permanent condition which is mostly non-progressive as the symptoms don’t get worse overtime. A person with hemiplegia may be able to improve symptoms overtime with an effective treatment program. And with the assistance of mobility aids they can live an independent life.
The common causes of Hemiplegia include:
- Stroke
- Brain infection
- Brain trauma
- Genetics
- Brain tumor
The degree and type of the symptoms will depend on the location and the extent of the injury or trauma.
Symptoms can include:
- Muscle spasticity or permanently contracted muscles
- Muscle weakness or stiffness on one side
- Poor fine motor skills and or trouble grabbing objects
- Trouble walking
- Poor balance
An effective treatment program can include things like:
- Physiotherapy
- Assistive devices
- Electrical stimulation (delivered by an appropriate Health Practitioner)
- Physical therapy
Pilates can be incorporated into the physical therapy part of the treatment plan for a person with Hemiplegia. Pilates exercises do not include a lot of repetitions and the spring resistance varies, meaning an exercise can be varied depending on the severity of the symptoms
and there is an emphasis on quality over quantity which will result in a more effective and efficient program to facilitate recovery.
With Hemiplegia, there is a tendency to favour the unaffected side reinforcing the resulting asymmetry in the body. The longer this continues the imbalance in the body increases which can lead to a decrease in the ability to perform daily activities. The Pilates equipment assists with alignment and brings an awareness to how the person is using each side of their body and can assist with educating the person on how to use each side equally.
The impact of living with a disability, whether life long or a sudden onset, can be devastating not just physically but emotionally, financially and socially as well. It is of great importance to assist people in these situations to gain confidence, mobility and freedom for them to live a more independent life and Pilates can be an extremely powerful tool to do this.
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