Spotting a Stroke FAST

The road to recovery after a stroke can be long and difficult. By following exercise recommendations from Wellstar’s rehabilitation care team, you can take an active role in the process and help shorten your journey.

According to the National Institutes of Health, falling can lead to delays in recovery for stroke survivors. Muscle stiffness and loss of balance are two common issues that contribute to increased fall risks. The expert providers at Wellstar work with patients and family members to develop individualized care plans that improve steadiness and flexibility. For added benefit, they also recommend you do the following exercises on your own.

Standing up and sitting down
Begin by sitting on a chair with a firm seat. Stand up fully and then slowly take a seat. Repeat as many times as you can tolerate initially. If necessary, use your hands to push into the standing position. Gradually progress to standing without the added assistance and completing more repetitions.

Step-ups
Begin by holding on to a stair rail. Step up onto the first step and then back down to the floor. Repeat as many times as you can tolerate initially. Step up with your stronger leg and lead with the weaker leg going down. Gradually progress to not holding on to the rail and increasing the number of repetitions.

Calf raises
Using a chair or countertop for balance, raise up onto your toes, lifting your heels completely off the floor. Slowly lower your heels back to the floor. Repeat as many times as you can tolerate initially. Gradually progress to not holding on and completing more repetitions.

Marching in place
Begin using a chair or countertop for balance and march in place for as many seconds as you can tolerate initially. Gradually progress to not holding on and marching in place for longer periods of time.

Shoulder flexion
Start with your arms at your side. With your palms facing each other, raise your arms in front of you as far as you can. Return to the starting position, then repeat.

Shoulder extension
Start with your arms at your side. With your palms facing each other, raise your arms behind you as far as you can. Return to the starting position, then repeat.

Shoulder abduction/adduction (lateral shoulder arm raises)
Extend your arms out to the side. Slowly raise your arms above your head. Return to the starting position, then repeat.

Elbow extension and flexion
Start with your arms at your sides, with your palms facing forward. Bend at your elbow so that your palm touches your shoulder. Return to the starting position, then repeat.

Wrist extension and flexion
Place your arms on a supported surface such as a table or desk, leaving your wrists free to move. Turn your palms up toward the ceiling and bend your wrists up and down.

Finger flexing and extending
Place your forearms on a surface such as a table or your lap with your palms facing up. Make a tight fist then open your hand and extend your fingers out until they are straight.

Get the most out of your exercise regimen

Establishing a regular exercise routine outside of your scheduled therapy appointments is important for your recovery. Perhaps equally important is completing the routine in a safe manner to avoid falling and to maximize your results. The experts at Wellstar suggest following these tips to maintain your safety.

• Dress comfortably. Your clothes should not limit your movements. Wear a hospital gown, pajamas or athletic clothing.
• Move slowly through all the movements.
• Do not hold your breath while doing any of these exercises. Breathe deeply. Count out loud during the exercises to keep your breaths evenly paced and remind you to breathe.
• Try to do the exercises while standing or sitting at the edge of your bed. If you do them this way, make sure another adult is around. This will help to make sure you are safe and reduce your risk of falling.
• Stop any exercise that causes you pain or discomfort and tell your doctor, occupational or physical therapist. Continue to do the other exercises that do not cause pain.

 If you have any questions, talk with your doctor, physical therapist or occupational therapist. Learn more about the expert care from Wellstar’s inpatient rehabilitation program.

For more information on Wellstar Roosevelt’s specialty rehabilitation services, visit rooseveltrecovery.com.

While strokes have become relatively common—more than 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—many risk factors for stroke can be managed in partnership with your healthcare provider.

Manage your risk factors

Factors that can increase your risk of experiencing a stroke include:

High blood pressure

Hypertension, or elevated blood pressure, increases the risk of a stroke. Stay up to date on your annual physicals to know your blood pressure levels, and if you have hypertension, talk to your provider about managing it. “High blood pressure is the most modifiable risk factor, meaning it’s the one that is most treatable and has the most impact on one’s risk,” said Wellstar Neurologist Dr. Ashis Tayal. “It is vastly underdiagnosed and when it is treated, it’s often undertreated.”

High cholesterol

Cholesterol can build up and lead to clotting in the blood, which can cause a stroke if the clot travels and blocks blood flow to the brain. Your primary care provider can help you monitor your cholesterol with a blood test and manage levels with medications or lifestyle changes.

Diabetes

People with diabetes are at increased risk of experiencing a stroke. Talk to your provider about diabetes screenings. If you are diabetic, discuss managing the condition with your provider.

Smoking

Smoking can increase your risk of a stroke, so if you are a smoker, it is beneficial to quit. “Cigarettes accelerate atherosclerosis, or clogging in the arteries, and cause inflammation in blood vessels that then increases people’s risk of stroke and heart attack,” Dr. Tayal said.

Atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation, a heart arrythmia, can cause clots that then travel to the brain, leading to a stroke, according to Dr. Tayal. If you have atrial fibrillation, also known as AFib, partner with your healthcare provider to manage the condition.

Other risk factors

While many of these risk factors can be controlled through medication or lifestyle changes in collaboration with a healthcare provider, other risk factors for stroke can be out of your control. People of any age can experience a stroke, but stroke risk increases with age.

The risk of having a first stroke is nearly twice as high for Black adults as for white adults, and Black adults and Pacific Islander adults have the highest rates of death from stroke, according to the CDC. Hypertension is more common in Black patients, according to Dr. Tayal. People in rural communities may also experience higher rates of stroke due to limited access to healthcare and nutritious foods, he added.

To help lower stroke rates in our communities, Wellstar Community Health will distribute over 100 blood pressure cuffs in 2024 and educate community members about stroke risk and blood pressure monitoring at Wellstar Mobile Markets. The team will identify and distribute blood pressure home monitors to those coming to the markets who are diagnosed with high blood pressure, on blood pressure medication and do not have a home monitor.

Live to the Beat. Powered by Wellstar. is a pilot program to help community members at two East Point churches take charge of their cardiovascular health. Through the program, participants will meet monthly with a Wellstar Community Health community health worker to have their blood pressure checked and discuss ways to keep their heart healthy, such as proper nutrition, exercise and caring for mental health.

How to recognize a stroke

Learn the warning signs of a stroke, and if you notice any of these in yourself or someone else, BE FAST and call 911 right away.

Balance

Look for a sudden loss of balance or coordination. This can also appear as a sudden, severe headache or dizziness.

Eyes

Blurred vision, double vision or loss of vision can be signs of a stroke. If you think someone else may be having a stroke, ask if they are having trouble seeing out of one or both eyes.

Face

One side of the face may be feeling numb or appear to be drooping. Ask the person to smile and see if it appears uneven.

Arms

Check for sudden arm weakness or numbness. See if the person can lift both arms without one drifting downward.

Speech

Watch out for slurred speech or difficulty speaking. Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence to find out if they are having trouble talking.

Time

Don’t wait to seek care. If you notice any of these symptoms, call 911 immediately. The more treatment is delayed, the more the brain is damaged.

Learn more about stroke care at Wellstar.

Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center recently earned Primary Stroke Certification from The Joint Commission.

Offered in collaboration with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, achieving Primary Stroke Center (PSC) Certification means the hospital is making exceptional efforts to foster better outcomes. It’s a signal to the community that quality of care provided meets the unique and specialized needs of stroke patients.

Joint Commission-certified PSCs adhere to a set of standardized performance measures. Organizations collect monthly data for each measure in the set, and the data is then submitted quarterly to The Joint Commission.

“This important certification as a primary stroke center demonstrates our team’s commitment to a higher standard of clinical service,” says Coleman Foss, Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center President. “Stroke patients can be confident in the quality and safety of care, treatment and services delivered at West Georgia Medical Center.”

West Georgia Medical Center joins Wellstar's network of other stroke-certified hospitals, including Comprehensive Stroke Centers Wellstar Kennestone and Wellstar North Fulton, other Primary Stroke Centers Wellstar Cobb and Wellstar Spalding, and Remote Stroke Treatment Centers Wellstar Douglas and Wellstar Paulding.