Personal story from a patient's daughter - my dad has gone back to tennis after a stroke

My father suffered multiple mini strokes during a routine heart procedure 3 months ago.

Prior to this he had been a super fit 83 year old, who cycled and played tennis daily.  The stroke affected his eyesight, mobility, and balance but thankfully he was still mentally sharp and able to crack his highly inappropriate dad jokes!

He received little physio care during his hospital stay as he was on a cardiac ward, his movement was limited to struggling from his hospital bed to his chair, with nurse or family support. He was unable to stand alone and found that his eyesight had deteriorated, and he was seeing double.

Fortunately, he was released from hospital after 10 days and within one day of returning home the SMARTPHYSIO team were able to visit him for an initial assessment.  They assessed his co-ordination, mobility, balance and strength (amongst other things) and prepared a plan of action which they then carried out daily for the following 6 weeks.    

The sessions felt like a chore at the beginning and were proving a challenge for him both mentally and physically.  It was clear to see that emotionally the stroke had taken a toll and his enthusiasm and determination was at an all-time low.  Not only did the physios work on his movement, balance and strength, but their visits became an integral part of his day – he knew that their visit meant hard work but he looked forward to their upbeat conversations and friendly faces during an otherwise monotonous day.

The physios set realistic and clear goals and gave my father something to aim towards.  They change up the exercises daily which keep the sessions fresh and interesting. Within weeks he was navigating the stairs at home and beginning to walk unaided. 

Within 8 weeks of returning home, together with the support of the physio team, he had relearned movements, regained his independence and was feeling stronger and more balance – confident enough to ride his exercise bike again every morning.  

Today, my father is playing tennis again (gently), enjoying long walk and has regained his confidence and enthusiasm for life.

The expert and professional physio care and encouragement from the SMARTPHYSIO physio team gave him the drive and support that he needed at a difficult time.

Thank you SMARTPHYSIO.