Many people who survive a stroke are left with serious and long-lasting problems with their arms. Usually, one arm is more affected than the other, but both arms can become harder to use.
Even the less-affected arm may become slower and weaker, making everyday tasks much more difficult. For example, it might take a stroke survivor three times longer to do something simple—like picking up a cup—than it would for a healthy person.
This can be very frustrating. People who cannot use one arm often have to rely completely on their “good” arm. But when that arm also struggles to move smoothly, daily life becomes tiring and discouraging. Some people may even give up trying to do certain tasks.
But there is hope. In a new study published in JAMA Neurology, researchers found that training the less-affected arm can actually make a big difference. In some cases, it helped more than focusing only on the more-affected arm.
A stroke happens when blood flow to a part of the brain is blocked or when there is bleeding in the brain. When this happens, brain cells don’t get the oxygen they need and begin to die.
Since each side of the brain controls the opposite side of the body, a stroke on the left side of the brain can affect the right side of the body, and vice versa. That’s why stroke therapy usually focuses on the arm that is more damaged.
However, scientists have discovered that both sides of the brain help control both arms, not just one side each. That means a stroke can affect the movement of both arms—even the one that looks less damaged. Many stroke survivors have problems with strength, speed, and coordination in their less-affected arm too.
So researchers asked a simple question: Can training the “good” arm help it work better?
To find out, they studied over 50 stroke survivors who had severe problems in one arm and relied on their other arm to do everything. The patients were split into two groups.
One group trained the more-affected arm, while the other group trained the less-affected arm. Both groups received five weeks of special therapy that included fun, goal-focused exercises and virtual reality games to improve hand movement and control.
The results were exciting. People who trained their less-affected arm got faster and more skilled at everyday tasks like lifting a cup or picking up small items. These improvements lasted for at least six months after the therapy ended.
The researchers believe this is because of a positive cycle: as the arm gets better, people use it more in daily life, and the extra practice helps keep improving it. This is very important for stroke survivors, especially when full recovery in the more-affected arm is unlikely.
Traditionally, stroke treatment has focused only on the weaker arm. But this study shows that helping the “good” arm work better can make a big difference in people’s lives. Even small improvements can make daily tasks easier, faster, and less exhausting.
In the future, scientists hope to find the best way to combine training for both arms. For now, this research gives stroke survivors and therapists a new way to think about recovery: instead of only trying to fix what was lost, we can also focus on strengthening what still works.
If you care about stroke, please read studies about how to eat to prevent stroke, and diets high in flavonoids could help reduce stroke risk.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how Mediterranean diet could protect your brain health, and wild blueberries can benefit your heart and brain.
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