If you were very active or sporty before your stroke, you might want to get back to your old fitness levels, as well as finding the same enjoyment from doing what you love. You may need to return slowly, to regain fitness and avoid injury after a break. Here are some tips to help you do this.
- Try to be patient with yourself. You could start by trying a few minutes of an activity at a time and gradually building it up. Stroke survivors tell us setting small goals helped them to achieve bigger milestones and also manage the impact of fatigue better.
- Consider splitting an activity up into manageable chunks. Pace yourself and try to make sure you have breaks planned within an activity and between your next activity. It can be tempting to push yourself to do more if you’re having a good day, but this can leave you feeling fatigued later.
- Ensure you eat well and drink enough between periods of exercise. This will also help you manage energy levels.
The Royal College of Occupational Therapists has more information on pacing and managing your energy levelswith fatigue or long-term health conditions.
Try something new
It can be frustrating if you find that you cannot go back to a previous activity, but you might be able to carry on with sport in a new way. Think about what you love about your sport. Is it being in a team? Is it about challenging yourself? If you enjoyed the social side of your sport, there may be other ways you can still be involved, for example, helping behind the scenes at club sporting events or coaching. There may be some things you can no longer do, but there are plenty of other things you still can.
Or you could look for other activities that might offer similar things. Some sports have inclusive versions such as walking football, sailing, rugby and tandem cycling.
You might be able to access sport with some help or equipment, such as running with a sighted friend if you have sight loss. People tell us having some support from others can help them if they have lost confidence or feel unsure about returning to sport after a stroke.
See ‘Other sources of help and information' for details of organisations which can help you find inclusive or adapted sports and activities.