Neurological Rehabilitation

At (Rehab Health and Fitness Australia HFA or Infinite Rehab) our team provides clinic and community-based rehabilitation services for all stroke survivors.  A stroke can occur either due to a blockage to the blood vessels supplying the brain, or as a result of a burst artery.  Both result in a disruption to the blood flow to the brain, where the blood cells due to a lack of oxygen and nutrients.

All strokes are different, and all people recover differently.  And this will be determined by the type and location of the blockage or the burst artery.

Some of the symptoms follow a stroke include

• Weakness (hemiplegia) on one side of the body including arms and legs
• Co-ordination of movement
• Difficulties swallowing food, drink, or saliva
• Personality or behaviour changes
• Difficulty controlling one’s emotions
• Changes to your senses
• Difficulty speaking and understanding, in addition to the same with reading and writing
• Changes to sexuality
• Vision loss
• Incontinence
• Fatigue

Physiotherapists provide rehabilitation services to improve motor and sensory impairments.  The help restore physical functioning by treating problems associated with movement, balance, and coordination.  Programmes may include exercises to strengthen muscles, improve coordination and regain range of movement.

Occupational Therapists provide rehabilitation services following a stroke to help people improve their motor and sensory abilities and ensuring safety.  Our team helps people relearn skills needed for performing their activities of daily living including

Our Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapist provide recommendations for assistive technology, such as equipment or mobility aides to assist recovery and maximise ability to complete all daily activities.  Our staff are able to provide recommendations through to full management of projects for home modifications aimed to assistance people to remain in their own home.

Motor neurone disease (MND) describes a group of diseases that affect nerve cells called motor neurones (MND Australia., 2022). Motor neurones allow messages from the brain to travel via the spinal cord towards muscles which allows people to walk, talk, swallow and breathe. With MND, the nerves gradually get weaker, causing muscles to waste away. It is estimated that 2,100 Australians are living with MND.

Symptoms may include:

• Stumbling when walking due to muscle weakness of the lower limbs
• Difficulty holding objects due to muscle weakness of the hands
• Slurring of speech and swallowing difficulties due to muscle weakness of the tongue and throat.

Our physiotherapists and occupational therapists offer individualised, comprehensive and coordinated supports that help people living with MND to live well for as long as possible. For instance, a physiotherapist can provide therapies to address pain, fatigue, keeping mobile and breathing strategies, whereas an occupational therapist can offer opinion on assistive technologies and home modifications.

If you require further information about Motor Neurone Disease, please visit mndaustralia.org.au

Multiple sclerosis (MS) results in damage to the communication system between the brain and other parts of the body, namely, the tissue that protects the nerve fibres of brain and spinal cord. There are 25,600 Australian living with MS with every case being different in terms of its progress, severity and symptoms (Multiple Sclerosis Australia., 2022).

There are three main types of MS:

1. Relapsing remitting describes exacerbations of the neurological symptoms followed by periods of recovery or remission.
2. Secondary progressive is characterised by a reduction in relapses and a progressive worsening of symptoms over time with no obvious signs of remission
3. Primary progressive is a progressive worsening of symptoms without periods of recovery or remission.

Recognising that MS impacts differently, our physiotherapists and occupational therapists offer an individualised management plan that is tailored to your goals and priorities. For example, a physiotherapist can assist in keeping one physically active to manage fatigue and maintain physical function, whereas an occupational therapist can offer opinion in supporting cognition or recommend assistive technologies in activities of daily living.

If you require further information about MS, please visit ms.org.au

Just as no two people are exactly alike, no two brain injuries are exactly alike. Brain Injuries occur when there is some form of damage that occurs to the brain either during or after birth. They often occur after a traumatic event such as motor vehicle accidents or significant falls (Traumatic Brain Injury – TBI) or can be acquired following an event like a stroke, surgical procedure, infection or tumour.

Individuals who sustain brain injuries often experience symptoms such as:

• Weakness
• Balance issues
• Coordination
• Cognitive changes
• Changes to emotions or personality

Our physiotherapists can help assess and monitor these changes and provide exercises and manual therapy as part of a tailored management plan. We can also provide assistance in navigating the tricky world of funding bodies such as the NDIS or My Aged care.

The impacts of a spinal cord injury are far reaching, ranging from the lack or loss of movement to being deprived of sensations of touch, control of bladder and bowel, and sometimes the inability to breathe unaided. Furthermore, multiple pain experiences in areas of the body where they otherwise have little or no feeling is often experienced (SpinalCure Australia., 2020).

Examples of impacts following a spinal cord injury (SpinalCure Australia., 2020)

• Loss or lack of movement
• Loss of bladder and bowel control
• Loss of body temperature control
• Loss of touch sensation
• Loss of sexual function
• Compromise immune function
• Digestive health issues
• Breathing difficulties
• Cardiovascular problems
• Neuropathic pain
• Pressure sores
• Spasms

Collectively, these impacts on one’s physical and mental wellbeing, independence and confidence. Currently there are 20,000 Australians who live with a spinal cord injury, with 1 new injury being diagnosed every day (SpinalCure Australia., 2020).

Our physiotherapy and occupational therapy service recognise these impacts by understanding how it influences the life of a person living with a spinal cord injury. For example, a physiotherapist can provide therapies that foster muscle use and minimise muscle shortening, offer training to build physical function and monitor respiratory function. An occupational therapist can provide strategies to support personal and domestic activities of daily living, support the mobility and comfort using assistive technologies, and assess the home environment.

We offer these supports through various delivery methods, such as clinic-based, home-based or telehealth consultations to provide people living with a spinal cord injury greater choice and control.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that mostly presents in later life with generalized slowing of movements (bradykinesia) and at least one other symptom of resting tremor or rigidity. It is the second most common neuro-degenerative condition in the world after Alzheimer’s.

Other associated features are:

• loss of smell
• sleep dysfunction
• mood disorders
• excess salivation
• Constipation
• excessive periodic limb movements in sleep (REM behaviour disorder)

Physiotherapists help to:

• Maintain and improve levels of function and independence, which will help to improve a person’s quality of life
• Use exercise and movement strategies to improve mobility
• Correct and improve abnormal movement patterns and posture, where possible
• Maximize muscle strength and joint flexibility
• Correct and improve posture and balance, and minimise risks of falls
• Maintain a good breathing pattern and effective cough
• Educate the person with Parkinson’s and their carer or family members
• Enhance the effects of drug therapy

At (Rehab Health and Fitness Australia HFA or Infinite Rehab) our team provides clinic and community-based rehabilitation services for clients with various neurological conditions. Neurological conditions are problems with the brain, spinal cord or the peripheral nerves (in extremities). When an area of the nervous system is damaged messages fail to reach the appropriate areas of the body.

Depending in the affected area, this could cause several symptoms:

• loss of movement (ie hands arms legs feet)
• loss of sensation
• muscle weakness
• muscle spasms
• contractures
• Tremors
• loss of coordination(ataxia)
• loss of balance
• Fatigue
• dizziness
• Pain

Some examples for causes of neurological conditions are:

• tumours in the brain, brainstem or spinal cord
• cerebral palsy
• Epilepsy
• genetic conditions affecting the peripheral nervous system such as Charcot–Marie-Tooth disease
• autoimmune diseases such as Guillian Barre syndrome; viruses such as Polio (pre vaccination)
• Peripheral nerve damage from surgery, injury or other medical conditions such as diabetes.
• Compression of spinal cord by herniated disc.

Physiotherapists provide rehabilitation services to improve motor and sensory impairments. The help restore physical functioning by treating problems associated with movement, balance, and coordination. Programmes may include exercises to strengthen muscles, improve coordination, regain range of movement as well as manage pain.

Our Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapist provide recommendations for assistive technology, such as equipment including splints or mobility aides to assist recovery and maximise ability to complete all daily activities.  Our staff are able to provide recommendations through to full management of projects for home modifications aimed to assistance people to remain in their own home.