Hemiparesis
Hemiparesis is weakness on one side of the body. The patient can still move the affected side of your body, but with reduced muscular strength.
WHAT IS HEMIPARESIS?
Hemiparesis or one-sided (“hemi”) weakness (“paresis) affects about 8 out of 10 stroke survivors, causing weakness or the inability to move one side of the body. One-sided weakness can affect your arms, hands, legs and facial muscles. If you have one-sided weakness you may have trouble performing everyday activities such as eating, dressing, and using the bathroom. Rehabilitation treatments, exercises at home, and assistive devices can help with your mobility and recovery.
One-sided weakness in your arms, hands, face, chest, legs or feet can cause:
Loss of balance
Difficulty walking
Impaired ability to grasp objects
Decrease in movement precision
Muscle fatigue
Lack of coordination
The location in the brain where your stroke occurred will determine where in the body you experience weakness. Injury to the left side of the brain, which controls language and speaking, can result in right-sided weakness. Left-sided weakness results from injury to the right side of the brain, which controls our nonverbal communication and certain types of behavior.
What is Foot Drop?
Foot drop is common after a stroke. It is a weakness or paralysis that limits your ability to raise the front part of your foot. The foot or ankle drops down when the leg is lifted to take a step. If you have foot drop you may trip and fall if your foot and ankle are not supported by a brace at all times.
Foot drop can result when nerves are damaged during a stroke. The muscles are rarely damaged, but become weak because of lack of use following a stroke. Partial or complete recovery is possible with the help of rehabilitative therapy. Physical therapy is central in strengthening muscles and joints.
How does Walk-Ex help post-stroke Hemiparetic patients?
The Walk-Ex is an advanced wearable neuro-prosthetic which monitors the muscle activity of the leg and produces message signals to the foot and brain to prevent foot drop.
Modes of operation:
Training
Walk
The Walnut Medical Walk-Ex Exercise mode may be used for acute stroke patients and other patients suffering from muscular atrophy as a result of Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebral Palsy, Spinal Cord and Brain Injury patients. The Exercise mode works out a programmed exercise course as directed by Walnut Medical Certified Medical Professional according to patient condition.