Every 40 seconds someone in the US has a stroke.  And every 3 ½ minutes, someone dies of a stroke.  While we hear a great deal about deaths from cancer, heart disease, COVID, and other conditions, stroke is the leading cause of death for Americans, is the leading cause of serious long-term disability, and is a $53 billion cost in health care, medicines, and missed days of work.

You should also note that stroke is not an “old person’s” affliction.  Fully 10% of strokes occur in people under 50!

There are several signs of stroke according to the CDC:

  • Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg – especially on one side of the body;
  • Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or difficulty understanding speech;
  • Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes;
  • Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or lack of coordination;
  • Sudden severe headache with no known cause.

If you, or anyone you know, has any of these symptoms – call 911.  The sooner you get to the hospital, the better.

As a result of your stroke, you might need physical therapy.  While there are many options to increase your strength and flexibility, the VitaGlide® device allows you to increase your strength, as well as, cardio taking into account you might need accommodations in resistance on one side or the other.  Check with your PT to see if a VitaGlide® is in a clinic close to you or if a VitaGlide in your home would help your recovery.  To learn more, visit www.vitaglide.com.