Stronger After Stroke: Your Roadmap to Recovery by Peter G. Levine

Peter G. Levine is co-director of the Neuromotor Recovery and Rehabilitation Laboratory, and a researcher with the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Cincinnati Academic Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Levine has been involved in stroke-specific rehabilitation research for almost a decade and has been published in journals and magazines, including the National Stroke Association's, StrokeSmart. Levine also writes a monthly column in Advance for Physical Therapists and conducts workshops throughout the US in the area of stroke rehabilitation and neuroplasticity.

Owner Reviews, Ratings, Comments and Criticism
Stronger After Stroke is motivational, inspirational, insightful, practical and all inclusive! Every stroke survivor should read this book. The author states that if after your stroke, you've accepted your decline the book isn't for you. It's for survivors who want to get better! It's refreshing to read a book that focuses on recovery rather than adapting one's lifestyle to the stroke. The author states throughout the book that the most important person in the recovery process is the survivor and that it takes hard work for possibly years. One must persevere with patience and never give up. Our brains have the ability to rewire but it takes repetitive, meaningful movements for that rewiring to take place. Levine explains how the brain works and how recovery works with specific tasks to aid in recovery. We have to take charge of our own recovery. Levine suggests we need to be researchers and read up on the latest stroke recovery research and lists websites to do that research. He also believes survivors would benefit from clinical trials. A large portion of the book is about different treatment options. I really like the author's descriptions of so many varied treatment options. There are wonderful suggestions of what to do in addition to regular therapy. Another large portion of the book has specific exercises and strategies for recovery that can be done at home. They are practical, easily understood and great suggestions. The author states that recovery takes motivation - people who are motivated make progress but one has to stay motivated when the going gets tough. Setting goals, measuring progress and celebrating every step of progress is crucial and writing it down on a calendar helps us keep track. I love the way he explains terms stroke survivors hear but may not understand. He even included a glossary in the back of the book. Levine provides tips for caregivers, suggests ways to prevent another stroke, and explains spacsticity and what to do about it. He discusses pros and cons of medications and what to talk about with your doctor. We all deserve quality of life and the author suggests several ways to achieve that but emphasizes it takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Lastly, Levine discusses many of the recovery machines on the market. He lists the names and websites and what each machine does. This is extremely helpful and a must for stroke survivors. Clinical trials are available and free! Stronger After Stroke is an all-inclusive book, as you can see. I'm a stroke survivor and have done just about everything Levine suggests. It's been three years and I have gained most everything back. It took 18 months of therapy every day to get my right hand working and was well worth it. His book is an invaluable tool that every stroke survivor, caregiver, physical therapist, occupational therapist and doctor should read. The book is a God-send.