Brunnstrom Approach To Stroke Essay
Identification of Question and description of Disability
Cerebrovascular accident or stroke, a leading cause of death and long-term disability, occurs when blood supply to the brain is interrupted. The interruption of blood supply deprives the brain of oxygen or nutrients and causes brain cells to die. Stroke patients are predominantly older adults, but it can happen to anyone regardless of age. As a result of stroke, people lose various functional skills depending on the type of stroke. However, people can regain their functional skills because “the nervous system has a high level of neuroplasticity and individual differences in neural connections and learned behaviors play a major role in recovery” (Atchison & Dirette, 2012, p.135). One …show more content…
Primitive reflexes are typically integrated in people, however they become dominant after a stroke. Arya et al (2012) state that Brunnstrom approach “uses reflexes to develop synergistic and voluntary control of movement” (p.3). Pandian, Arya, and Davidson (2012) agree and state that “Brunnstrom movement therapy uses reflexes to develop movement behavior through sensory stimulation, in order to inhibit spasticity, and movement retraining to enhance recovery” (p.331).
Brunnstrom’s stages of recovery begin at stage 1, which is immediately after stroke with flaccidity and no voluntary movement. In stages 2 and 3, spasticity is noted and synergies are first facilitated through association reactions and then performed voluntarily. Pandian and Arya (2012) emphasize the importance of using synergies to gain more functional motor movements by explaining that "synergy is a functional linkage of muscles during voluntary motor action” (p. 543). In stages 4 and 5, spasticity begins to decline and individuals move toward independence from synergies. In the final stage, individuals are able to move their joint
Cerebrovascular accident or stroke, a leading cause of death and long-term disability, occurs when blood supply to the brain is interrupted. The interruption of blood supply deprives the brain of oxygen or nutrients and causes brain cells to die. Stroke patients are predominantly older adults, but it can happen to anyone regardless of age. As a result of stroke, people lose various functional skills depending on the type of stroke. However, people can regain their functional skills because “the nervous system has a high level of neuroplasticity and individual differences in neural connections and learned behaviors play a major role in recovery” (Atchison & Dirette, 2012, p.135). One …show more content…
Primitive reflexes are typically integrated in people, however they become dominant after a stroke. Arya et al (2012) state that Brunnstrom approach “uses reflexes to develop synergistic and voluntary control of movement” (p.3). Pandian, Arya, and Davidson (2012) agree and state that “Brunnstrom movement therapy uses reflexes to develop movement behavior through sensory stimulation, in order to inhibit spasticity, and movement retraining to enhance recovery” (p.331).
Brunnstrom’s stages of recovery begin at stage 1, which is immediately after stroke with flaccidity and no voluntary movement. In stages 2 and 3, spasticity is noted and synergies are first facilitated through association reactions and then performed voluntarily. Pandian and Arya (2012) emphasize the importance of using synergies to gain more functional motor movements by explaining that "synergy is a functional linkage of muscles during voluntary motor action” (p. 543). In stages 4 and 5, spasticity begins to decline and individuals move toward independence from synergies. In the final stage, individuals are able to move their joint