Getting Up From The Floor After A Stroke: A Step-By-Step Guide

Getting up from the floor after a stroke can be challenging, but it is possible with the right techniques and support. Here are some tips to help you get up safely:

- Start slowly and build up your strength and endurance. Don't push yourself too hard, as everyone's recovery is different.

- Consider using a walker or a cane for support and stability.

- Practice getting up from the floor as part of your physical therapy. The more you practice, the easier it will become.

- Join a stroke support group or seek help from a therapist to guide you through the process.

- Focus on improving your balance and strengthening your legs to make it easier to get up from the floor.

- If you experience dizziness, imbalance, or difficulty walking, consider seeking assistance from a physical or occupational therapist.

- Consult your doctor or healthcare provider to ensure that getting up from the floor is safe for you and won't cause any further complications.

Seek medical advice

If you or a loved one has suffered a stroke, it is important to seek medical advice as soon as possible. The faster you receive treatment, the better your chances of recovery. Here are some reasons why seeking medical advice is crucial:

• Emergency Treatment: A stroke is a medical emergency, and timely treatment can significantly improve your chances of recovery. Seek immediate medical attention by calling for emergency services if you or someone you know exhibits stroke symptoms.
• Initial Assessment and Stabilization: Once you arrive at the emergency department, medical professionals will work to stabilize your condition and determine the type of stroke you have suffered. This initial assessment is crucial for guiding the next steps in your treatment and recovery.
• Specialized Care: Depending on the severity of the stroke, you may be admitted to an intensive care unit or acute care unit. Here, a team of specialists, including physiatrists, neurologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and nurses, will collaborate to provide you with the best possible care.
• Rehabilitation: Starting rehabilitation as soon as possible is vital for your recovery. Rehabilitation typically begins within 24 hours of a stroke and involves various forms of therapy to address any physical, cognitive, or emotional symptoms you may be experiencing.
• Personalized Treatment Plan: The effects of a stroke vary from person to person, and a personalized treatment plan is essential for your recovery. The stroke care team will evaluate your specific needs and develop a rehabilitation plan tailored to help you regain function and improve your quality of life.
• Long-Term Support: Stroke recovery can be a long-term process, and ongoing medical advice and support are crucial. Your care team will work with you to create a discharge plan, which may include continued rehabilitation at a specialized facility or outpatient rehabilitation clinic. They will also help you manage any long-term health concerns and provide guidance to prevent future strokes.

Remember, recovery from a stroke looks different for everyone, and seeking medical advice as soon as possible gives you the best chance for a positive outcome. Don't hesitate to reach out to medical professionals and take advantage of the support and resources available to you.

Consider assistive devices

Assistive devices can be extremely helpful for those who have suffered a stroke and are looking to get up from the floor. These devices are designed to help prevent injuries and make it easier for caregivers to assist their loved ones.

• Mangar Camel Lifting Cushion Airflow 24 Volt: This device lifts over 900 pounds, making it suitable for bariatric use while remaining easy to operate in small spaces. The patient sits on the deflated cushion, and it gently inflates to lift them into a standing position without causing back strain.
• Medline Raizer Mobile Lifting Chair: This cordless and portable device is perfect for those who need assistance getting up from the floor. It is battery-operated and can lift up to 40 times on a single charge. The chair is assembled under the patient, gently lifting and sliding them into a standing position while they are strapped in.
• Carex Uplift Premium Power Lifting Seat: An affordable option that features a stable base and LeveLift technology to provide safe assistance without forward dumping. It gently lifts the person from a seated to a standing position with the push of a button.
• Mangar Elk Lifting Cushion Airflow 24 Volt: This lifting cushion is ideal for confined spaces, such as bathrooms. It is battery-operated, and the deflated cushion can be easily slid under the person. The compressor then inflates the cushion, bringing them safely to a standing position.
• Medline Hydraulic 400 Manual Patient Lift: A versatile option that can help lift patients from the floor and transfer them to another location, such as a chair. It uses a sling that slides under the person, connecting to the lift, which is then pumped manually to raise them up.
• ResQUp Self-Help Senior & Elderly Lift: This device helps individuals get up from the floor after a fall. It requires some upper-body strength and is designed for uninjured persons. It is compact, portable, and easy to store, requiring no assembly, electrical power, or batteries.
• Standing Aids & Supports: Various standing aids and supports are available, such as adjustable standing assist devices, mobility aids, and grab bars that provide stability and assistance for getting up from the floor.

These devices can greatly improve the quality of life for those who have experienced a stroke and their caregivers. It is important to choose the right equipment based on individual needs and ensure proper usage to keep everyone safe.

Focus on balance training

Balance is a complex integration of multiple systems in the body working together to keep us in equilibrium and moving safely. Balance training after a stroke can help improve stability and coordination, and increase the strength of your hips, knees, and ankles to support your body when you move. Here are some exercises to focus on balance training:

Basic Level Balance Exercises:

• Heel Raises (Holding On): Hold onto a sturdy chair or countertop for support. Raise yourself up onto your tiptoes, keeping your knees straight and your upper body tall. Slowly lower yourself back to the floor and repeat.
• Side Stepping (Holding On): Use a counter or ledge to hold onto, or ask someone to give you a hand. Place tape on the floor in a straight line. Step sideways to cross the line, crossing one leg in front of the other. Reverse the motion to return to the starting point, this time crossing a leg behind.

Intermediate Level Balance Exercises:

• Heel Raises (Not Holding On): Stand with your feet flat on the floor and your arms at your sides. Raise yourself onto your tiptoes, keeping your upper body and knees straight. Slowly lower and repeat.
• Side Stepping (Not Holding On): Perform the side step, crossing your legs as you move sideways across a straight line, without holding on. Go slowly to avoid falling and be ready to grab something if you lose your balance.
• Heel-to-Toe Walking: Using the straight tape line for side stepping, walk forward, placing the heel of your foot directly in front of the toe of the other foot. Continue to the end of the tape, turn, and repeat by returning to the starting point.
• Squats Against Gym Ball: Place an exercise ball between your back and a wall, standing tall. Slowly lower into a squatting position, holding on with one hand if needed. Roll back up to a standing position and repeat.

Advanced Level Balance Exercises:

• Single Leg Standing: Place both feet flat on the floor. Slowly lift one leg until you are balanced on the other leg. Hold for a count of 10 and slowly lower it back down. Alternate legs and repeat.
• Backwards Walking: In a room free from obstacles, walk backward slowly. Avoid looking where you are going and instead, use your sense of balance and slow movements to avoid falling. Initially, perform this exercise with something nearby to hold onto, like a wall or countertop, until you gain confidence.
• Weighted Ball Pass: Using a weighted exercise ball, slowly pass the ball from hand to hand as you circle it around your body. Start by circling the body in a clockwise motion, then repeat in a counter-clockwise motion.

Improve walking speed

Regaining the ability to walk after a stroke requires a lot of rehabilitation and patience. Here are some tips to improve walking speed:

• Repetitive, progressive, and task-related training forms the basis for any training-related improvement of gait speed.
• Training on the ground, possibly also in the form of circuit training and treadmill training are the two main modes of training which are often combined.
• Treadmill training with or without body weight support should be used to improve walking speed after stroke.
• Especially with regard to maximum walking speed, it has been demonstrated that treadmill training without body weight support is more effective than conventional gait training.
• Progressive circuit training and progressive treadmill training have the highest quality of evidence for the subacute phase.
• In the chronic stage, an orthosis with or without electrical stimulation should be applied in appropriate patients if available.
• Intensive task-specific gait, strength, endurance, and cognitive training can also be performed in the chronic stage.
• In order to improve comfortable walking speed, strength and aerobic endurance training, balance training, rhythmic acoustic stimulation and mental observation, and motor imagery help to train further aspects of mobility.
• In order to improve specifically maximal walking speed, structured treadmill training may be most promising as it allows the patients to concentrate on this specific aspect of mobility.
• Thus, similar to training in sports, basic skills are the basis for advanced training with specific goals.

Improve walking distance

Regaining the ability to walk independently is a significant goal in post-stroke rehabilitation. Gait training and balance training are key components of post-stroke rehabilitation to help you relearn how to walk, improve your balance and coordination, and increase the strength of your hips, knees, and ankles to support your body when you move.

• Basic Standing and Balance Exercise: Find a stable place to secure your balance, take a tall, sturdy standing posture and gently shift your weight to one side of the body. Swing the non-supportive leg up to the side and balance in this position for 10 seconds. After several repetitions, switch legs and repeat as long as your strength allows.
• Intermediate Standing and Balance Exercise: Find the same position as earlier, with a strong balancing area to support yourself as you shift your weight to one side. Bring the other leg in front of you and bend the knee as you go. As you balance, hold the position for a count of 10 and lower back down slowly. Switch legs when you’re ready.
• Advanced Standing and Balance Exercise: Brace yourself on a nearby wall or sturdy piece of furniture, and swing your leg behind your body as far as you can comfortably reach. If possible, hold the leg out for a count of 10 seconds and gently lower it back to the ground. Repeat on the opposite leg.
• Basic Bridging Exercise: Find a sturdy and comfortable spot to lie down, and place a rolled towel or pillow below your knee joint. Once you’ve found a good position, press the knee into the pillow and pull and lift the heel gently off the floor.
• Intermediate Bridging Exercise: Find an open wall and lean your standing body against it. Place your feet slightly in front of you and very slowly lower yourself down so that your legs create a 90-degree angle. Hold this position for 10 seconds or as long as you are able. Then safely slide back up with the help of the wall until you are back to standing.
• Advanced Bridging Exercise: When you’re feeling stable in the intermediate bridging exercise, find a flexible ball to place between your knees as you bend down into a squatting position.

In addition to these exercises, underwater treadmill treatment and functional electrical stimulation (FES) are also beneficial for improving walking distance after a stroke.

Frequently asked questions