CASE STUDY: STROKE

Emily Coningham

Treating Therapist

Emily has over 15 years experience within all hospital clinical areas as well as community rehabilitation and management of chronic disease. She has extensive experience (10 years+) as a senior clinician mentoring junior physiotherapists, with seven of those years as a senior physiotherapist with Queensland Health.

BACKGROUND

Ruth was a 72 year old lady who was referred for Physiotherapy with decline in her function.

CONDITION

Ruth suffered a decline in function and decondition, as well as recent ankle fusion surgery.

TREATMENT

She was treated PhysiotherapyÂ and aided by a new 4 wheeled walker to assist with mobilty.

SESSIONS

Ruth was seen – and treated – weekly over a total of an 8 week period with Emily as her therapist

OUTCOME

After 8 weeksÂ of treatmentÂ Ruth was walking with no moon boot andÂ experience no more pain

Sonia experienced a stroke which resulted in left-sided hemiplegia, significantly impacting her mobility, upper limb function, and independence. Prior to her stroke, she was independent in all activities of daily living and actively engaged in the community. Following discharge home, she required substantial support to complete everyday tasks.

Challenges

Sonia presented with reduced strength, coordination, and motor control on her left side. She had difficulty with transfers, mobility, and functional use of her upper limb. Fatigue and reduced confidence further impacted her ability to engage in meaningful activities and community participation. There was also an increased risk of falls.

"A full general balance, strength, mobility assessment completed as well as assessment of her ankle."

Intervention

A therapy plan was developed and implemented, focusing on:

Task-specific training to improve functional independence in daily activities
Upper limb retraining to increase strength, coordination, and functional use of the opposite arm considering she was left-handed prior to stroke and needed to learn how to use her right upper limb for all functional tasks.
Mobility and transfer training to improve safety and reduce falls risk
Balance and postural control exercises
Cognitive and dual-task activities to support real-world function
Education for both Michael and his support network to promote carryover

Outcome

Sonia demonstrated gradual improvements in mobility and functional independence. She progressed from requiring significant assistance to completing a number of daily tasks with reduced support. Her confidence improved, and she was able to re-engage in community activities with appropriate supports in place. Ongoing therapy continues to focus on maximising independence and quality of life.