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The problems of stroke patients
7/17/2008
A new report from New Zealand highlights the problems of stroke patients after they return home from the hospital. 

The study, done at the University of Auckland, reports that patients recovering from a stroke are twice as likely to suffer a fall as non stroke patients.

In the study more than one-third of stroke patents did indeed fall within six months of leaving the hospital. 

The study recommends the following fall prevention strategies:
    
      *Lower leg strengthening exercises
      *Balance retraining
      *Improved household lighting
      *Removal of obstacles and
      *Installing handrails

The authors of the study - published in the journal Stroke - believe that fall prevention should be a part of treatment for all stroke patients.