This set of exercises are for the third week of our four-week stroke recovery exercise programme. They focus on building stamina. The video is aimed at stroke survivors who are in the amber group. This group can exercise independently but may require support. Watch the introductory video for families and carers before starting this activity.

 

Nicole: Hello. I'm Nicole Lavin. I'm a specialist neurological physiotherapist, and I specialise in stroke rehabilitation. I have over 20 years experience working with stroke survivors following them through their journey from the acute stages, right the way through the rehabilitation process up until discharge. I feel absolutely privileged to be here today, working with A Stroke of Luck in collaboration with the Stroke Association to bring you these activity videos. I hope you enjoy.

 

Craig: In this set of activities, you will need: two cans of tinned goods, a chair or worktop, a wall and stairs. You may also need your carer or family member. Before starting the warm up to this activity, it is very important that carers and family members watch the "Advice and exercises for carers" video

 

Nicole: Amber Group. Welcome to your warm up for the stamina series of activities. For this activity, you will need some support on your strongest side. And this is just fingertips support for your balance. This activity, you will be doing some marching and mini squats. So with the marching, we want you to focus on getting your knees high, like this. And with the mini squats, a nice wide base. So your feet wide, back nice and straight and a small bend. So we're not looking at getting right down to the floor. We're just looking at the control. Okay, so we're going to do the marching first. And then the mini squats 10 of each. Ready? Off we go. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Wide base now feet wide apart. Fingertips support. Keep your back straight. One, two, tighten here, if you can. Three, four, five, six, seven, eight. You might be starting to feel it a little bit. Nine. Last one and 10. Well done. We're going to take a short pause now so you can go through the coaching points of the activity we've just shown you.

 

Craig: Stand with a chair or worktop on your stronger side. Just use your fingertips to help balance yourself. March with high knees 10 times. Then stand with feet a little wider and then squat 10 times. Keep your back straight and tighten your tummy as you do this.

 

Nicole: Okay, Amber Group. This is your first activity in the stamina series. And for this activity, you could do this at the bottom of a staircase. If you've got stairs at home. If you don't have stairs, you can do it without the step and just follow the sequence of what we're doing with your legs. So if you are doing it on the steps, you just actually doing it on the bottom step. So we're not ascending the stairs at all. Just the bottom step. Okay. If you've got a handrail, hold on. Okay. And the idea is, you're going to go up, stepping up onto the step with your strongest leg first. So you need to make sure the full foot is on the step. Okay, Put your weight through your strongest foot and bring your weakest foot up to join it. Okay. From there, you're going to step back down, going backwards with your weakest foot first. So down, down. So if you don't have a step or stairs in the house to do this or you don't have a handrail to support for your stability. You can just do it, the stepping motion without the step. We're going to do this for one minute. Are we ready? Off we go. So strongest leg. Weakest leg. Weakest leg, strongest leg. Get that rhythm. And keep this going for one minute. Make sure your full foot is fully on the step. Now, as you've got a timed element to this activity, you can use that for a bit of feedback. Or set yourself a goal. Keep going. You're doing really well. Last few seconds and rest. Well done. Take a short pause there to go through the coaching points for the activity we have just shown you.

 

Craig: Stand at the bottom of stairs and hold onto a handrail. Bring your stronger foot onto the step, and then step onto step with your weaker leg. Step backwards towards the floor with your weaker leg first, and then bring your stronger leg down to meet it. If you do not have any stairs, then repeat the sequence by pretending to step up and down onto a step, holding a worktop or back of chair with your stronger hand for balance. Repeat for one minute.

 

Nicole: Hi, amber group. This is your second activity of the stamina series. So you need to stand shoulder width apart from the wall, facing the wall. And if you do need some support, you could have the back of a chair at the side of you. You want to face the wall, stand shoulder width apart, feet pointing forwards, and what we're going to do for this activity is a wall press up. So the ideal position is with your stronger arm out at shoulder height, with your hand flat against the wall as I'm showing you there. With your weaker arm, if you can't get the height or you can't get the hand flat, do it at whichever position is comfortable for you. So if this is a fist position and it's low, this is fine also. But for the purpose of the demonstration, I'm going to bring the arms up together so they're equal. So we're going to bring arms up, arms up, hand flat if you can get it, at a comfortable height, and from that position you're going to keep your feet still, but take your nose towards the wall. Bending at the elbows, making sure the elbows are straight down in front of you and not coming out to the side, like so. Okay, so we're going to try to do this activity now for one minute. It is not a race. We're not looking at repetitions. We are looking at stamina and control. Okay. Are we ready? One minute, off we go. So bend, nose to the wall and try to push through your arms to straighten out your elbows. And again, down nose to the wall and push through your arms to straighten out your elbows. Keep that going, you're doing really well. Nose to the wall. And again. Almost there. Okay. And relax. Well done. Let's take a short pause there so we can go through the coaching points of the activity you have just seen.

 

Craig: Stand facing a wall with your feet shoulder width apart. You can have a chair to your side for support, if necessary. Bring your stronger hand up to the wall in line with your shoulder. Make sure your hand is flat. Bring your weaker arm into the same position. If your arm cannot move this far, allow your arm to rest against the wall in a comfortable position. This may be at a lower height and or with your hand in a fist instead of flat. Bring your nose towards the wall by bending your elbows and then push away by straightening them. Try to keep your elbows in close to your body as you do this. Repeat for one minute. This is all about control, not how quickly you can do the activity.

 

Nicole: Okay, amber group. This is your third and final activity from the stamina series, and for this activity you'll need some small weights or tins, tins of beans, soup, anything. Just a small weight in either hand. Now, if you do struggle with your grip or you can't, you don't have the strength in your weaker side to grip something. It's absolutely fine to have nothing on that side, but keep the weight on your stronger side. Now for this activity, we need your sitting forwards in the chair, if possible, not taking up the back support of the chair or wheelchair and your feet firmly on the ground. You need to sit up nice and tall, and tighten your tummy button in. Okay. And for this activity you're going to raise one leg and the opposite arm. So it's a little bit of coordination as well. So I'll do a demonstration first of all. So we're going to go right knee up, left arm up. Okay? And then slowly lower down. And then left knee up and right arm up. Okay. With this activity, you must not work through any pain. No shoulder pain. And just go within your comfortable range. So if you're only raising it to here, that's absolutely fine. Okay, so we're gonna go for a full minute. There's no race. Just take it at your own pace. Are we ready? Off we go. So knee up. Arm up. Down. Knee up. Arm up. Down. Knee up. Arm up. And down. Keep this going. And what's important is that as you're lifting your leg, you don't lean backwards. So you use the back of the chair as a reference point. And if you're coming into contact with the chair, you need to bring yourself forward again. Okay? To really work your core stability. So it's not just about the lifting. It's all about the control on the upward movement and the downward movement. Keep that going. And relax. Okay. So take a short pause, and then we're going to repeat it. Another round. So for a full minute, take as much rest as you need to in between. And then off we go. So knee up. Arm up. Down. Knee up. Arm up. Down. Knee up. Arm up. And down. Keep this going. And what's important is as you're lifting your leg, you don't lean backwards. So you use the back of the chair as a reference point. And if you're coming into contact with the chair, you need to bring yourself forward again. Okay? To really work your core stability. So it's not just about the lifting. It's all about the control on the upward movement and the downward movement. Keep that going. And relax. Okay. Well done. We'll take a short pause there so you can go through the coaching points of the activity we have just shown you.

 

Craig: Sit nice and tall in a chair. Hold a small weight in both hands if you are able. If holding an object in your weaker hand is difficult, do this activity without the weight. Raise one knee up towards the ceiling and at the same time, raise your opposite arm up above your head or as far as you can. Do not push past any pain or resistance. Now raise your other knee up and arm at the same time. Repeat for one minute. Have a rest and go again for another minute. Try not to lean backwards against the back of a chair as you do this activity.