Highs, Lows, and Plateaus

A Path to Recovery from Stroke

Stroke survivors, health care professionals working in rehabilitation, and anyone whose life has been affected by a stroke, will find critical information in Highs, Lows, and Plateaus. Anne Burleigh Jacobs, PT, PhD, a neuroscientist and a physical therapist with a successful track record of helping patients recover from stroke, explores complex topics in an easy-to-understand and conversational tone. Using real examples and powerful analogies, she leads readers along a path of recovery. From the initial injury, to mechanisms of recovery, to the future of rehabilitation, you will get guidance on: recognizing the initial signs of a stroke and the importance of emergency treatment; understanding the physical and neural processes associated with rehabilitation; understanding the concepts of neuroplasticity that drive recovery of the brain; providing useful resources and ideas to progress one through the stages of recovery from stroke. Dismissing the negative connotations of plateau, this book provides hope and inspiration along the continuum of recovery. Each step along the path is supported by basic science, concepts of neuroplasticity, and the resilience of the human spirit. Filled with illustrations, this guidebook to recovery from stroke also includes information that can be helpful to those who have suffered a traumatic brain or spinal cord injury. Dr. Jacobs is innovative and displays initiative in developing new ideas to help people with neurological disabilities. In her private practice, she was among the first in applying the concepts of neuroplasticity in therapy. Jack and Cyndy Bradley, stroke survivors