Stronger After Stroke: Your Roadmap to Recovery

by Peter G. Levine

Now in its third edition, Stronger After Stroke puts the power of recovery in the reader's hands by providing simple-to-follow instructions for reaching the highest possible level of recovery. The book's neuroplastic recovery model stresses repetition of task-specific practice, proper scheduling of practice, setting goals, and measuring progress to achieve optimal results. Researcher Peter G. Levine breaks down the science and gives survivors evidence-based tools to retrain the brain and take charge of recovery.

In easy-to-read sections, Stronger After Stroke introduces readers to leading-edge stroke recovery information while simplifying the process to attain specific benchmarks. Also included is a sample recovery schedule, a helpful glossary of frequently used stroke recovery terms, and a list of resources for readers to research emerging stroke recovery options.

The new Third Edition of Stronger After Stroke features:

Complete update of all chapters to reflect new knowledge about maximizing recovery
The latest research insights applied to individual recovery programs
Steps to cope with challenges at each stage of recovery and achieve success
DIY strategies to save time and money
New chapters on using electrical stimulation, reducing post-stroke pain, and understanding spasticity

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Self Help, Medical

296 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2008

Reviews

[Art · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointing. Stronger After Stroke? Maybe, but I didn't get that from this book. … A roadmap to recovery? No, not a clear roadmap to anywhere.

This book felt like an unedited, self-published work. It is full of vague generalities and redundancies as well as weak sentences such as this construction, which appeared several times: "Research has shown that ..." No notes or footnotes.

In addition to an editor, this volume also needs a modern book design. This book ranks as the No. 9 best-selling stroke book at Amazon.

Consider these books:

The Stroke Recovery Book: A Guide for Patients and Families
Clear and well-organized with informative graphics and photographs. Written by a rehab physician. Its clarity and organization should earn it a ranking higher than 25 among the stroke books at Amazon.

My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey
The No. 1 top-selling stroke book at Amazon. A brain scientist tells why she became a neuroanatomist.

One morning, before going to her lab at the Harvard Brain Bank, she survived a stroke at home.

"Wow. This is so cool!" she thought to herself during the euphoric stupor. How many scientists can study their own brain function and mental deterioration from the inside?

The story of her panic, terror, detachment from reality then the stages of recovery hit a common thread. I survived a stroke earlier in the year.

Jill Bolte Taylor's telling of the story includes a welcome dose of humor. This clip, with two and a half million hits, ranks as the second most popular TED Talk video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyyjU8...

The Brain That Changes Itself.
Neuroplasticity, a new science, can explain adaptability of the brain after it suffers damage from stroke or other disorders such as cerebral palsy and learning disabilities. Written by a physician on the research faculty of Columbia University. The No. 3 neuroscience book at Amazon.

[Lydia Chiang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful and informative.

[Ida · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative and actionable, but I would have liked more chapters dedicated to psychological effects. Otherwise, the two main things I am left with are

1) The brain is amazing. I am in awe at how flexible and strong it can be.
2) I cannot even get close to imagine how frustrating recovery must be. Just reading this makes me furious.

[Venke Anderson]

1/8/18 It is a Good Read for me, now in my current state. I feel hopeless, rutterless in a hurricane, up sh*t creek and the paddle is long gone. This is speaking of Neuroplaticity - a subject I have been researching. This is giving me hope, a direction, a reason to do more recovery. Having hope again is a life giving option!

[Allan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is for someone that is suffering from physical limitations from a stroke, and is well written for its audience. I am primarily interested in the recovery from aphasia and apraxia, which are not covered well in this book.

[Wanda Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found so many great tips and useful information in this book to help me post-stroke. I was able to find things to help me at home with my recovery and I was able to share a lot of this information with my physical therapy team who were not aware of certain treatments and exercises. One thing I do know, you have to be your own advocate and you have to be assertive to get the care you need and deserve.

[Nathan Hebda · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book could be half the length. It is extremely repetitive and sometimes organized poorly. It lacks references which is very frustrating and is in dire need of an editor. But as an OT working with stroke survivors I think it may be worth a skim to caregivers and survivors looking for a crash course in stroke and rehabilitation.

[Andy Perdue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book. I wish I'd read this right after my stroke. I'm certain I'd be further down the road to recovery if I had. Needless to say, my progress will proceed faster as a result of the information in this book.

[Danielle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was very disappointed that this book was 100% focused on physical disability. My father is physically strong but cognitively lacking. I was hoping for a part of this to give tips to supplement his speech therapy and the work we are already doing. Not all stroke damage is physical.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very helpful book to read right after a stroke. The author is very matter of fact and positive. He seeks to empower stroke survivors to reach for recovery not just function. There were a lot of takeaways and I’m sure I’ll refer back frequently.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is easy to read and understand. It covers the process of recovery from a stroke and a variety of aspects of recovery. It reiterates and stresses the most important points. It goes over many potential options to meet various needs or goals of a stroke survivor.

[Stockflyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

good. just skimmed for what I was interested in.

[Michael Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

About neurorehabilitation options for optimizing post-stroke recovery. This book focuses on physical recovery; for mental aspects of recovery see my review of Tanzman's book, 'Hope After Stroke.'

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great resource. I learned a lot and have a better understanding of what happened to me and more questions for my neurologist.

[Maya Angelica Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

good introduction to strokes

For a beginner I learned a lot, easy to understand. Helped with background knowledge when the PT was explaining things.

[Neil Johnstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

So about the book, the main message from the is you can recover more movement through the wonders of neuroplasticity.
Having my stroke at 17 learning to walk and talk again was a difficult time, but I did have a sick sense of enjoyment and darker times. There was a point that I thought that death would be better, mainly having seeing my face in a mirror and half my face was melting off the structure of my skull. Then I cried for 2-3 hours but after hospital, mates were amazing but it was a massive adjustment for me, the Me that I was died and it probably took the past 8 years till I found the strength to try to recover. I was doing something after hospital but not enough, funny in the book they talk of a phenomenon where you leave hospital. The physio gives you an home exercise plan HEP which the running joke in medical circles is hand ‘em photocopies which is exactly true. I loved the OCE Hospital but I really hope they have updated there practices. Then the cancer and I was like fuck this, let’s drink for 2 years. I eventually stopped and tried to play football with other crips but it frustrated me cuz I remember how good was before. After 5 years clear from cancer went to Spain read books and fell in love with ancient philosophy but I still didn’t have the drive needed for recovery, but my mentality has changed loads these past 10 years.
In the last two years I read think and grow rich which is an amazing book since then I workout everyday day and now I’m in South America still workout everyday or at least 5-6 days. Now I try use my right for everything making a cuppa drinking it and when I was in Spain I always thought about doing this but I was embarrassed for some reason. But now it’s just what I do.
When I was in hospital they taught me ‘learned non-use’ so I can do everything with my left but now they don’t do that, they do something called ‘constraint induced therapy’ now I’ve done some of this but not enough. They put a mitt on the good hand forcing you to use the affected side. So I’m doing real world activities to regain more functionality. I learned how to do my shoelaces again like a child but not much right involved cuz of the spasticity in that position is hard.
I hope that after a year travelling and working on my right side that I’m taking more seriously than ever before, I will regain a lot.
For my body and my peace of mind that I have tried my hardest. My motto is ‘persistence is perfection’ got me up a volcano should get me through this bullshit.

Really recommend this book if you know someone who had a brain injury or you have had one, it’s fascinating and a message of hope. YouTube stroke recovery ted talk if you can’t be arsed to read.

Great idea from the book, aplicable in any endeavours.
Gandhi put it: "I have learned through bitter experience the one supreme lesson to conserve my anger, and as heat conserved is transmuted into energy, even so our anger controlled can be transmuted into a power which can move the world."
Anger controlled can be a powerful recovery tool, I like that.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must have for all stroke survivors. Unfortunately I had my stroke 10 years ago but the author is so inspirational. Even though our doctors, OTs and PTs may put a time limit on recovery, Levin stresses the importance of realizing that as long as we try hard, we can get better. There are so many new treatments for stroke survivors. I wish half of these were out 10 years ago but I have benefited recently from some of the new technology the book mentions. At first I had checked the book out from the library but I had to buy it because it has so much information in it. 5 stars

[Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

An informative and comprehensive guide to understanding stroke and what follows in its wake. Chapter 6 stood out the most to me, and for what it's worth, I would've preferred to have read it first. And while this book didn't answer all my questions, it did help me begin to get my arms around the subject, and what it means to help someone who has had a stroke.

I think this is a well-presented roadmap to recovery with the understanding that -recovery- is subjective.

3.5/5

[Barbara Drake · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book so inspired one of my patients! It helped him move from feeling like a lost victim to knowing that he was in charge of his future. He moved from being passive to asking his therapists about things he could do on his own. He started coming up with some of his own "techniques" which did not always thrill the other therapists but they were happy with his improvement in attitude.

[justablondemoment · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good book. While it was informative, it was not what I was after. It was more exercises and techniques used for rehabilitation. This would be an excellent book for someone who is a caregiver of someone who is in need of this.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Empowering resource for stroke survivors and families.

[Maryanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I would recommend to anyone in the unfortunate position of having a loved one who suffers a stroke, or is for any reason a first-time caregiver to a stroke patient.

[Burky Ford · Rating 5 out of 5]

On page 66. Am getting good ideas and learning new things!

[Koeeoaddi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent overview of stroke recovery with boatloads of valuable information for caregivers and survivors. Highly recommended.

[Karen Ng · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book out there for stroke recovery, and you control your own path, not the damage!!

[Sergiy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential material for those who help their family or friends to actively recover after stroke.