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Yoga After Stroke: Moving Toward Myself Again 🧠

  • Writer: Morgan Bailey
    Morgan Bailey
  • Jul 4
  • 4 min read

After my stroke, I had to relearn everything—how to move, how to trust my body, how to feel safe inside of it. Walking wasn’t a given. Lifting my arm, stretching my fingers, even sitting upright some days—it all felt like climbing a mountain in the dark.


I'm at Gentle Flow yoga!
I'm at Gentle Flow yoga!

And then, slowly, yoga became part of the path.


I’m not doing fancy poses. I can’t do Downward Dog. Pigeon is out of the question—for now. But yoga has never been about the poses for me. It’s been about the connection. The quiet. The space to breathe in a body that no longer felt like mine.


When you’ve had a stroke, your body becomes unfamiliar. Every movement takes thought. Every sensation brings questions. Yoga gave me a way to come back to myself without pressure. I didn’t have to perform—I just had to show up.


At first, it was just breath. Lying on the floor, hand on my belly, reminding my nervous system that I was safe. That this was my body now, and it deserved care.


Eventually, breath turned into movement. Gentle stretches. A seated twist. Lifting an arm. Noticing when my foot made contact with the mat. These weren’t big moments, but to me, they felt huge. They were proof that healing was happening.


The truth is, yoga didn’t “fix” me. But it helped me soften. It gave me a space to be proud of what I could do instead of grieving what I couldn’t. It made me feel strong again—in my own way.


Yoga reminds me that healing isn’t linear. That progress can look like stillness. That showing up, even when it’s hard, is powerful.


If you’re navigating life after a stroke, or trying to reconnect with a body that’s changed, let this be your permission to start small. Your version of yoga doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. It just has to feel like a step toward yourself.


You deserve that.


🧠 My Favorite Stretches Right Now & Why These Stretches Help Neurologically

These stretches have become little rituals in my recovery—simple, intentional movements that help me feel grounded and connected. Some weeks I can do more, some weeks less, and that’s okay. It’s all part of the journey.


1. Seated Side Stretch 

I sit on the mat, reach one arm overhead, and gently lean to the opposite side. It opens up my ribs and helps me feel taller, more spacious—like I’m clearing room for breath.


What it does: This stretch activates the obliques and intercostal muscles (those little ones between your ribs), while also encouraging spinal alignment and mobility. 


Neurological benefit: It helps improve proprioception (your body’s ability to sense where it is in space) and encourages neuroplasticity by waking up your brain’s connection to your trunk and torso—areas often neglected post-stroke.


2. Cat-Cow (Seated or Tabletop) 

On my hands, this gentle spinal movement is everything. It wakes up my spine and helps me reconnect to my breath and rhythm. It also helps my right hand, which often doesn't want to go down or move because of its tone or spasticity.


What it does: It moves your spine through flexion and extension while syncing movement with breath. 


Neurological benefit: This rhythmic motion can stimulate the vagus nerve, which regulates your parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest mode). It also improves motor planning and coordination, key for regaining movement control after stroke.



3. Wrist Rolls & Finger Stretches 

My right hand is still working hard to come back, and this is how I show it some love. I stretch my fingers open, roll my wrists, and just pay attention to how it all feels.


What it does: These movements gently mobilize the small joints and muscles of the hand and wrist. 


Neurological benefit: They enhance fine motor skills, improve blood flow, and increase cortical stimulation in the brain’s motor cortex—the area responsible for voluntary movement. These actions also help retrain your brain-to-hand pathways, even when movement feels limited.


4. Reclined Knee Hugs 

Lying on my back, I pull one knee in at a time, or both if I can. It’s grounding and comforting—like giving my body a hug.


What it does: This brings awareness to your hips and lower back, areas that often tighten due to compensation. 


Neurological benefit: It helps with grounding and reconnects the brain to the lower body. This stretch also supports balance and spatial awareness, improving your overall coordination and stability.


5. Supine Twists 

With my knees bent and feet on the floor, I let my legs gently fall side to side. It helps with spinal mobility and makes me feel more fluid and free.


What it does: Gently rotating your spine while supported on your back builds mobility and flexibility in a safe way. 


Neurological benefit: This movement activates cross-body neurological pathways and stimulates both hemispheres of the brain. It helps integrate left and right brain communication—something that can be disrupted after a stroke.


6. Shavasana

Okay, this one’s not a stretch—but it’s maybe the most important. I lie down, with my hands facing up, and just breathe. Slowly. Intentionally. This is what we do at the end of our yoga practice.


What it does: Slow, focused breathing calms the nervous system and deepens your connection to your body. 


Neurological benefit: Breathwork increases oxygen flow to the brain, supports cognitive function, and stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system. It also helps reduce tone and spasticity by calming overactive neural signals.


 
 
 

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