Good morning everyone, how are you all doing today? Today I want to share my experience of a patient I met during my clinical posting in adult neurology.
So during my recent clinical posting in the adult neurology unit I worked with a patient whose case left a lasting impression on me I must say. This patient was a 56 year old man who had suffered his stroke far about 6 months ago, which left him with weakness on his left side and difficulty when walking. When he first arrived at our unit I noticed that he was moving cautiously, leaning heavily on his working aid and his biggest concern was falling. His fear was evident in how he steps and he told us also that even at home he doesn't walk around unless there is absolutely a reason. This is to say that he just didn't trust his own legs anymore.
When you arrived one of the first things we did was to assess his balance, working speed and muscle strength. We made him stand on one leg for a second and we noticed that he wobbled immediately. When he walks a short distance his steps are slow and uneven. His left leg kept dragging slightly and we could see how much effort it took him just to move forward. We also checked for muscle tightness in his limbs since stroke patient sometimes develop stiffness that makes movement even harder for them.
Having this in mind we designed a treatment plan which focused on three key areas such as working balance and muscle strengthening. We began with a simple bearing exercise like shifting his body from one side to side while standing to help you begin confidence in distributing his weight properly. At first all you needed was just a lot of support holding onto the parallel bars slightly. But as the days went by he gradually lost his grip, trusting his body a little more.
For us to strengthen his legs, we introduced exercises like bringing and sit-to stand drills. First, even standing up from a chair without help felt like a challenge for him but over time he needed less and less assistance. We also worked on step through walk patterns, encouraging him to take smoother, more controlled steps instead of dragging his left leg. Balance exercises where another big focus like standing on one leg working in a straight line even responding to gentle pushes to improve his ability to stay up right when faced with unexpected movements.
Over the next 3 weeks, we noticed his progression clearly. He went from taking small fearful steps to working longer distances with more confidence. His balance improved and he no longer relied heavily on his walking aids. Apart from his physical improvements another important thing that stood out to me the most was the shift in his attitude. Because when we first started managing him he doubted himself at every step. But by the end he was even more eager to try new movements, and he did not hesitate before he took a forward step.
Honestly working with this man reminded me that rehabilitation is not just about physical recovery but it's about rebuilding confidence. No doubt strengthening muscle and improving balance are important but convincing a patient that they are capable again is another important thing. Seeing his transformation from being reluctant to hopeful made me appreciate how powerful physiotherapy is and this reinforced my passion for this field. I left that posting with a greater appreciation for the role we will play in helping people reclaim their independence.
This is all about my experience in adult neurology. I want to thank you for reading this post till this end and also for taking out the time. Thank you for your support.