Physiotherapy

Physiotherapists are an integral part of the Stroke Unit multi disciplinary team at Bournemouth Hospital. They usually wear a white tunic with blue trim and blue trousers. They work across the Stroke pathway including the Hyperacute service, rehabilitation pathways and into the Early Supported Discharge team or Community Rehab teams, which can be involved when patients first go home.

Physiotherapy helps you to restore movement that has been reduced or lost as a result of the Stroke. After a Stroke everyone has a full therapy assessment to establish your rehabilitation needs. The degree of impairment after a stroke depends on the severity and location within the brain.

Physiotherapy can identify impairments and establish some goals with you to help prevent secondary complications and return to daily tasks.

Your physiotherapist can recommend exercises and tasks to aid your recovery. We encourage self-management to optimise your recovery; this can be supported by family, friends and specialist equipment. You will be considered for all specialist equipment that is appropriate to both your stroke impairments and pre-existing conditions.

We have access to a therapy gym, therapy kitchen, specialist seating, transfer aids, electrical stimulation and mirror box therapy.

Through charitable funds we also have The Walkerbot, Robotic Tilt Table and tablets to enable access to both entertainment and rehabilitation apps.

Stroke is a life-changing event and we hope that physiotherapy can assist in preventing secondary complications such as pain and loss of joint range of movement and help to restore any possible movement.