stroke & neurological physiotherapy
Contact us 01306 888171
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Headsup have been very professional from the very start of my first session of stroke rehab, and have continued to do so to get me back to my old self. Every session I attend, we are seeing improvements and good progress! This is testament to my physio Claire Jenkins who always thinks outside the box and is a pleasure to work with. If you’re looking for stroke or neurological physiotherapy, look no further you will be in great hands.
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On the 8th December 2016 I had a stroke which resulted in total loss of feeling down my right side and consequent impaired mobility and balance.
Following emergency intervention I made a good recovery in the run up to Christmas, but considered that if I were to return to normal duties in a sustained and managed fashion, I would require specialist assistance.
Previously my son had been a patient of heads up! following a brain haemorrhage, and his recovery had been visibly improved by the clinical support of this specialist neurological physiotherapy team.
I put my faith in the hands of Anna Hamer, and over the next month received an increasing amount of guidance and monitoring of my posture, balance and movement, together with strict counselling on how to return to work in a controlled fashion, reducing the risk of further attacks.
The exercises that Anna taught me, and I introduced into my daily exercise routine, have improved my confidence in movement to the point that I am comfortable driving on my own, commuting into London by train, and using public transport.
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I had my first stroke when I was twenty and over the years suffered four more. During this period I have received some excellent physiotherapy but also some that has not helped me at all. Unfortunately, neuro physiotherapists were extremely sparse when I had my first stroke.
I haven’t had any more strokes but recently my right side has felt heavy and become increasingly stiff. I couldn’t move as well as I have done so decided to research private neuro physiotherapy in my area. I found heads up! and can honestly say it is brilliant. The physiotherapist actually listens to my needs and uses a ‘hands on’ technique, manipulating each part of my body in a gentle manner. I can say I feel the difference and enjoy going to the sessions.
heads up! has helped me to regain my confidence, they offer a truly wonderful therapy for people who have suffered strokes.
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In December 2009 I suffered a major stroke affecting my left side, I was hospitalised followed by rehabilitation in The Bradley Unit until March 2010. I received excellent care here and after a lot of hard work they managed to get me to walk with the aid of a splint and stick, although very limited.
Unfortunately due to funding the NHS can only provide limited time for physiotherapy per person, when it finished both myself and wife felt totally lost and rather panicky. We didn’t want to lose the progress I had made.
My wife searched the internet and found heads up! after reading the testimonials and how they had helped other people we felt we had been handed a lifeline and although quite a drive from where we live felt we had nothing to lose and arranged an appointment. When I first arrived my posture and balance were very poor and I could not move my neck to the left, generally my whole body was out of alignment.
All the therapists have been superb and over the years have managed to re- align my body, my posture is better and I have been encouraged to walk with a pole. My confidence is improving, which is thanks to the therapists and the assurance they have given me.
Stroke recovery is slow and I still have a way to go but I am so glad we found heads up! as without them I would not have made the improvements I have today.
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I suffered a massive stroke on 5 December 2007. After two separate spells of hospitalisation I was released to go home, my partner Sandie contacted ‘heads up!’ so that I could continue my recovery. On 22 May 2008 I was assessed at the ‘heads up!’ clinic in Sevenoaks. My specialist neurological physhiotherapist tested me thoroughly and came up with a routine for me, a weekly neurological-physiotherapy session to keep me as supple as possible and control the stiffness in my limbs and joints.
When I first came I could walk on a walking stick albeit unsteadily, two years later I walk much more confidently and generally am more in control of my body, They not only worked on my body but on many occasions counselled me when I felt below par. Two years on from that first assessment I am a more confident individual and I have generally benefited from my time at ‘heads up!’ I am indeed indebted to her skill and professionalism for the improvement I have made. I realise that I still have a long road to travel yet, but when that road finally ends ‘heads up!’ will have played an immeasurable part in my recovery. I have nothing but admiration for the ‘heads up! staff and their reward will hopefully be my successful conclusion.
I can only applaud the manner in which ‘heads up!’ goes about it’s business and to breathe life and hope into many others who have suffered the same devastating blow that I have.
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Freddie Wheeler came to heads up! six months after his stroke, having been told that he would never walk again. After two years of great effort on his part, working with heads up!, community physiotherapists and a personal trainer, he completed a one mile sponsored walk.
“The idea of signing up to walk a mile in aid of Macmillan Nurses was conceived by Carrie, my wife, as a good way of setting an achievable target for me to work towards. She was supported in this notion by my heads up! neurological physiotherapist and my personal trainer. There was a month or two to go before the walk had to be done, so I went along with the idea. Gradually the plan leaked out to friends and neighbours, and before long they had promised so much sponsorship that the notion of failing to take on the challenge was unthinkable.
Based on performance on the treadmill, I was foolishly confident that I could do the mile as long as the time did not matter and Carrie promised to be not too far behind with a chair.
The next consideration was where this athletic summit could be climbed. Accordingly we hired the Guildford Spectrum running track for two hours on Sunday 23rd May because, of course, this was flat and coping with hills or kerbs etc, in addition to walking a mile was out of the question.
Eventually the day dawned (it had been hanging over us like an execution day). The day was warm and sunny without being hot, just right! A good crowd of friends, family and staff of heads up! turned up to cheer me on and the training team were on hand with words of encouragement and advice on technique. The neighbours insisted on serenading me with a version of ‘You’ll never walk alone’ which seemed more like a threat than an inspirational anthem.
I am not sure that Roger Bannister had a sit down and a glass of squash after each lap which is no doubt the reason that it took me a little over three hours compared to Bannister’s four minutes. Anyway, I did it and was mightily relieved to be able to face my sponsors and not to have to give them back their money. Everyone was very supportive which made it so much easier to do.
At the end the sense of achievement was such that I admitted it had been one of Carrie’s better ideas. By the way, thanks to the incredible generosity of our sponsors, we raised almost £500 for the Macmillan Nurses.”
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On the 1st December 2002 my husband, Ian, had a stroke three weeks before his 62nd birthday. His right side and speech were badly affected, but mobility improved quite quickly. However, without constant physiotherapy over the years (some NHS and some private) his mobility deteriorated until 2010, when after a bad fall and two long spells in hospital, he could no longer get around the house without a wheelchair, or ride his mobility scooter, or get into and out of the passenger seat of the car. I had looked after him alone for almost 8 years, but now had to pay for help from carers in the morning and evenings.
I was in despair over Christmas 2010, and contemplating purchasing an electric wheelchair, after obtaining a wheelchair accessible vehicle (I cannot push him far in an ordinary wheelchair, and he can’t propel himself, because of his weak right hand). In the New Year I was googling Stroke Rehab, wondering what the future held and I discovered heads up! and our lives changed almost immediately. Ian was assessed in February 2011 and we have visited their clinic in South Holmwood near Dorking, weekly throughout the year. Within a few weeks Ian was able to get into the passenger seat of the car again, and he has made great progress since. When the clocks went forward for the summer I cancelled the evening care worker visits, and I was able to put him to bed myself at a proper bedtime. The money I saved pays for our weekly treatment visits to heads up! Our GP is most impressed with Ian’s progress. Even his speech is improving, along with his confidence. I take him to stroke clubs four days a week, so our lives are pretty full again and things are really looking up, thanks to heads up! I feel really lucky that I discovered heads up! – they have saved my sanity.
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I started going to heads up! at the suggestion of my GP in October 2014. My history is that as a result of a breach birth I have always had a congenital disability on my right side. I am currently working with one of heads up! specialists at the clinic in Sevenoaks. In the first three months she managed to get more movement into my leg than I have ever had before and the improvement is ongoing.
I can not speak more highly of the work that the team has done and the level of service heads up! provide.