Simple Home Exercises for Stroke Patients

Written By: Melody, TCM Practitioner.

Rehabilitation exercises at home are crucial for stroke patients, helping them regain function and improve their quality of life. Here are some simple exercises you can do at home. It's highly recommended to perform these under the guidance of a professional TCM practitioner or therapist.

Upper Limb Exercises

Clapping Game (✋🏻拍手游戏): 

Sit on a chair, clap your hands in front of your chest, then slowly raise them above your head, and slowly lower them. Repeat 5-10 times.

Object Retrieval (✋🏻拿取物品): 

Practice using your affected hand to pick up objects of different sizes and weights, such as cups or towels. Use chopsticks to pick up small items like mung beans or peanuts to train hand dexterity and coordination.

Wall Crawling (✋🏻墙面爬行): 

Place your affected hand on a wall and slide it up and down.

Lower Limb Exercises

Pillow Squeeze and Leg Lift (🦶🏻夹枕头抬腿): 

Lie on your back in bed with knees bent and feet flat on the bed. Place a pillow between your knees, squeeze tightly, then slowly lift your buttocks. Hold for 10-15 seconds, then slowly lower. Repeat 10-15 times.

Single Leg Straightening (🦶🏻单腿伸直): 

Lie on your back in bed, one leg straight, the other bent. Slowly lift the straight leg, hold for 10-15 seconds, then lower. Alternate between legs.

Toe Movements (🦶🏻脚趾运动): 

Lie on your back in bed, point your toes upwards, then press them downwards, repeating the motion.

Tongue Exercises

Tongue Extension (👅 伸舌头): 

Extend your tongue as far as possible, hold for 5 seconds, then retract it.

Licking Nose (👅 舔鼻子): 

Touch the tip of your nose with your tongue, hold for 5 seconds.

Licking Chin (👅 舔下巴): 

Touch your chin with your tongue, hold for 5 seconds.

Tongue Circles (👅 舌头绕圈): 

Move your tongue in clockwise and counter-clockwise circles inside your mouth.

Lip Exercises

Whistling (👄 吹口哨): 

Try to whistle a long, loud tune.

Puffing Cheeks (👄 鼓腮): 

Puff out your cheeks, hold for 5 seconds, then relax.

Smiling (👄 微笑): 

Widen your mouth into a smile, hold for 5 seconds.

Pouting (👄 噘嘴): 

Pout your lips, hold for 5 seconds.

Facial Muscle Exercises

Frowning (🔹 皱眉): 

Furrow your brows, hold for 5 seconds.

Widening Eyes (🔹 瞪眼): 

Open your eyes wide, hold for 5 seconds.

Shrugging Shoulders (🔹 耸肩): 

Shrug your shoulders, hold for 5 seconds.

Swallowing Practice

Swallowing Saliva (🔸 吞咽口水): 

Imagine you are swallowing food and consciously swallow your saliva.

Swallowing Small Food Pieces (🔸 吞咽小块食物): 

Start with very small pieces of food and gradually increase the amount.

Daily Life Activities for Rehabilitation

Walking (☀️走路): 

Go for daily walks, gradually increasing the distance.

Stair Climbing (☀️上下楼梯): 

Hold onto the handrail and slowly go up and down stairs.

Housework (☀️做家务): 

With family assistance, do some simple household chores, like wiping a table with a cloth, to exercise arm strength and coordination.

Brushing Teeth with Affected Hand (☀️用患侧手刷牙): 

Practice fine motor skills with your affected hand.

Important Considerations:

• Gradual Progression (🔹循序渐进): 

  When starting exercises, keep movements small and duration short, gradually increasing the intensity and time.

  
  

• Listen to Your Body (🔹量力而行): 

  Don't push yourself. If you feel tired or in pain, rest immediately.

  
  

• Maintain a Positive Mindset (🔹保持积极心态): 

  Keep exercising, believe in your recovery.

Why Are These Activities Beneficial for Recovery?

These seemingly simple daily activities actually involve various movement patterns that can effectively train the patient's limb functions and improve their ability to perform daily self-care tasks. Simultaneously, these activities can boost the patient's confidence, helping them better integrate into social life.

Important Reminders:

📣 Choose Suitable Activities: Every individual's situation is different, so activity choices should be personalized.

📣 Prioritize Safety: Always prioritize safety during rehabilitation exercises to avoid injury.

📣 Consistency is Key: Recovery is a long process that requires consistent effort.

📣 Before beginning any rehabilitation exercises, please consult your doctor, TCM practitioner, or physical therapist to develop a personalized exercise plan suitable for you.

In addition to the exercises above, you can also aid recovery through the following methods:

✅ Massage (按摩): 

Regularly massage the affected limb to promote blood circulation and alleviate muscle spasms.

✅ Hot Compress (热敷): 

Apply a warm towel to the affected area to relieve muscle tension and promote blood circulation.

✅ TCM Treatments (中医治疗): 

Acupuncture, cupping, and other TCM therapies can serve as excellent complementary treatments.

Recovery is a long journey that requires the combined effort of the patient and their family. With perseverance, a good recovery outcome is certainly achievable.

If you'd like to learn more about TCM wellness or wish to receive more personalized advice tailored to your specific situation, we recommend booking a consultation.