Alison’s Case study - A Story of Resilience

Alison’s stroke journey spans many years and reflects both the challenges and resilience often seen in long-term neurological rehabilitation. Alison experienced her first stroke in 2009 while living in Cornwall. She later attended an intensive inpatient rehabilitation programme in Leicestershire for approximately three months, undertaking therapy five days a week and returning home at weekends.

In 2016, Alison sadly experienced a second stroke affecting the same side of her body. She went on to receive further rehabilitation at St Luke’s Hospital. While this programme was longer in duration, it was less intensive and did not include gym-based therapy.

Following discharge home, Alison began working with a local neurological physiotherapist. Around 15 months ago, when progress began to plateau, her home physiotherapist suggested adding clinic-based rehabilitation at Physiofunction to her existing programme. Alison now attends a comprehensive schedule of therapy, including one weekly physiotherapy session at home, one weekly clinic-based session at Physiofunction with Claire and fortnightly hydrotherapy with Georgina. Although Alison recognises that rehabilitation is slower now, she continues to make meaningful gains.

Impact of Stroke

Alison describes the impact of stroke as having “ruined her life.” Prior to her strokes, she was extremely active and busy - regularly walking dogs for friends, gardening, and managing an allotment. She particularly misses having a dog and the independence that dog walking brought her.

Over time, Alison has adapted many of her activities. She now enjoys gardening again using raised plant beds, which allow her to grow vegetables and fruit from her wheelchair. She also enjoys crafting, particularly working on a dolls’ house project, taking her time and adapting tasks as needed.

Daily life continues to require support. Alison’s husband assists with dressing, footwear, and applying her splint, and helps with cooking tasks she can no longer manage fully. Alison has, however, found ways to maintain independence where possible - including adapting how she showers and returning to reading by finding effective one-handed strategies.

Socially, Alison goes out less than she used to, though she occasionally attends a seated exercise group with a local support network.

Initial Presentation at Physiofunction

When Alison first attended Physiofunction in 2024, her clinic assessment demonstrated:

• Significant weakness in her right arm and leg
• Noticeable stiffness affecting both right-sided limbs

These impairments were limiting her functional mobility, endurance, and confidence, particularly with walking and daily activities. Alison’s primary goal at the time was to move beyond her rehabilitation plateau, increase motivation, and make use of specialist equipment to support further progress.

Intervention

Alison engaged enthusiastically with her clinic-based rehabilitation programme from the outset. Her sessions focused on improving strength, posture, balance, walking pattern, and overall endurance. Equipment regularly used included the NuStep, V-Line arm equipment, and parallel bars, alongside targeted gait and postural work.

As someone always willing to try new approaches, Alison soon added hydrotherapy to her programme. Hydrotherapy has been particularly valuable in helping to loosen her shoulder and other joints, improve movement quality, and support endurance in a reduced-gravity environment.

Progress and Outcomes

Despite the chronic nature of Alison’s condition, she has made meaningful functional gains, including:

• No longer needing to use her wheelchair indoors, choosing instead to walk around her bungalow
• Improved walking stamina, both in the clinic and when working outdoors with her community physiotherapist
• The ability to walk across the hydrotherapy pool unaided
• Improved joint mobility, aiding sit-to-stand transfers and walking
• Increased confidence when participating in more challenging rehabilitation tasks
• Successfully returning to reading using adapted one-handed techniques

Alison reports that hydrotherapy has been particularly helpful for “getting joints moving” and maintaining mobility.

Motivation, Engagement, and Therapeutic Relationship

Alison consistently works hard during her sessions and brings a positive, encouraging energy to the clinic. She enjoys motivating others and has famously created playful nicknames for all members of the physio team.

Claire particularly enjoys working with Alison. They share a mutual love of sudoku, and Alison has promised to start listening to The Archers again - a commitment that Claire is very pleased about!

Alison values the strong relationships she has built at Physiofunction, highlighting the therapists’ clear explanations, demonstrations, and ability to break tasks down into manageable steps. She feels well supported, understood, and motivated.

Ongoing Goals

Alison continues to work on walking, posture, and balance. Looking ahead to 2026, her primary goal is to further improve upper limb function, particularly focusing on hand positioning, strength, dexterity, and independence in daily tasks.

Alison’s Advice to Others After Stroke

Alison’s message to others following a stroke is heartfelt and clear:

• “Do what your physio tells you to do - they know best, they are good people.”
• “Get into rehabilitation as soon as you can.”

And to the team at PhysioFunction:

• “I love you all.”

Conclusion

Alison’s journey highlights the long-term value of a proactive, engaged approach to neurological rehabilitation. Her determination, humour, and willingness to adapt - combined with a tailored physiotherapy and hydrotherapy programme - demonstrate that meaningful progress is possible even many years post-stroke. Her story is a powerful reminder that rehabilitation is not just about physical recovery, but also about confidence, independence, and quality of life.