A new study has found that playing card games such as bridge, rummy cub or snap can help people in their recovery from a stroke.
The study carried out by Canadian researchers found that it improved the patient’s motor skills and aided in their recovery with games such as bingo and Jenga also helping.
These types of games and activities are helpful in motor response rehabilitation as long as it’s repetitive, intensive in duration and has the patient moving their arms.
The study also tested out the ever popular virtual reality gaming route for stroke patient rehabilitation against more traditional games that involve testing out upper limb motor skills.
The Canadian research team recruited 141 patients who had recently sustained a stroke which resulted in impaired movement in one or both of their hands and arms.
Half of the patients were then allocated to the Wii rehab, while the rest were asked to do other recreational activities, such as playing cards. All of the patients continued to have the usual stroke rehabilitation and support on top of the 10 hour long sessions of gaming or card playing for two weeks. Interestingly, both groups showed improvement in their motor skills at the end of the two weeks and four weeks, with both groups faring equally well.
“We all like technology and have the tendency to think that new technology is better than old-fashioned strategies, but sometimes that’s not the case. In this study, we found that simple recreational activities that can be implemented anywhere may be as effective as technology.” Said Dr Gustavo Saposnik, from St Michael’s Hospital in Toronto.
Alexis Wieroniey of the UK’s Stroke Association said the findings were promising in showing that activities that anyone can access are beneficial in aiding recovery from a stroke, adding:
“Thousands of stroke survivors are left with mobility problems, and this can lead to a devastating loss of independence.”
Here at Essential Mobility we have aids for mobility to help you recover from a stroke, such as wheel chairs, walking aids, stair lifts, rise and recline chairs and mobility scooters.
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