Nick is a 63-year-old man who was admitted to our Hothfield Neurological Rehabilitation Centre in Kent in June 2025 for a four-week inpatient programme. One year earlier, he had suffered a brain haemorrhage, which caused weakness and loss of awareness on the left side of his body. Although the bleed in his brain didn’t require surgery, it left him with significant physical challenges.
Before the brain haemorrhage, Nick was very active. He lived at home with his family, ran his own supplement business and had competed in sports like yachting and pole vaulting at a professional level.
In addition to his brain haemorrhage, Nick also had a few existing health conditions including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, a history of irregular heartbeat and some skin conditions that had been treated in the past. At home, Nick had been completing his personal care independently and was using his single-arm wheelchair around his home.
When Nick arrived for rehabilitation, a detailed assessment was carried out to understand his physical abilities. He had significant weakness on the left side of his body, and his movement in the hip, leg, arm, and hand was limited, and he also had reduced sensation in his left side. Despite these challenges, his balance while sitting and his overall coordination remained good.
Nick’s posture had also been affected by his brain haemorrhage. His left arm tended to bend and turn inward, while his left leg was slightly bent and turned in a way that made walking more difficult. He walked with a hemiplegic gait, using his stronger side to help move the weaker side, often lifting his leg high and swinging it out to take a step.
Nick used our ArmMotus™ M2 Pro to work on improving function, strength and his ability to move his left arm. At the start of therapy, he could only move independently at a reach of 98cm. Nick used chosen tasks such as getting things out of the cupboard to assess how much movement he could achieve. At the end of his therapy, he was able to reach 384cm. His active ratio, which is how much movement is available that Nick is able to control himself, went from 29.4% at the start of therapy, to 60.4% at the end. This improvement means he has a much better reach and function with his whole arm and was able to perform his chosen tasks much more easily.
Nick also used our Luna EMG, which helped him rebuild control over the muscles in his arm, particularly the elbow. Through biofeedback and guided exercises, Nick improved both his range of motion and his ability to activate the muscles correctly. This showed that his brain was starting to reconnect with the muscles on his left side. His muscle tone (which had been too tight) reduced, and his motor control became smoother and more consistent.
Nick’s rehabilitation focused on helping him walk more independently, regain strength and movement, and become more confident in daily activities. His programme included:
- Strength and flexibility exercises to build muscle and improve movement
- Balance training to help him stand and move more safely
- Gait training, starting with flat surfaces and gradually progressing to more challenging ones
- Tech-assisted therapy using the ArmMotus™ Pro and Luna EMG for his arm
- Therapies to reduce muscle tightness, including stretching, splints, and positioning
- Occupational therapy and psychological support to boost his confidence and independence
Nick made significant progress during his four weeks of rehabilitation at Hothfield Neurological Rehabilitation Centre. He went from walking just 6 metres with help from two people, to walking 50 metres with only distant supervision. At first, he needed to wear a leg brace to keep his foot from dragging, but by the end, he no longer needed it. He was also able to go up and down stairs with only supervision, instead of needing two people to help. Nick’s balance improved during his rehabilitation. On the Berg Balance Scale – a widely used assessment made up of 14 tasks that measure both standing and movement-based balance – his score increased from 23 out of 56 at admission to 33 out of 56 at discharge. Since lower scores on this scale indicate a higher risk of falling, this change reflected an improvement in his stability. His walking speed and confidence increased, and he regained more control in his affected arm, although this area remained a challenge.
Nick and the rehabilitation team set several goals at the start of his stay, including to walk with a tripod stick and support from one person, do personal care with minimal help, improve his arm strength, climb the stairs with help from one person and get out of a car with one helper. Across most of his goals, Nick achieved more than expected. Nick made remarkable improvements during his time at Hothfield Neurological Rehabilitation Centre.
Thanks to the support of our Mutli-Disciplinary Team including Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, and Psychologists, he regained much of his independence and physical ability. Nick expressed deep gratitude for the care he received and reported that the experience had a positive impact on his confidence, well-being, and quality of life.
For more information about Hothfield Neurological Rehabilitation Centre, click here.
