No More Yard Sales – Return To Sport After Pediatric Stroke: A Case Report

Background: Stroke is common medical event as, on average, someone in the United States suffers from a stroke every 40 seconds. The majority of these cases occur in older populations, causing much of what is known about stroke and stroke recovery to stem from research on older individuals who have had a stroke. Less is known about pediatric stroke and how the combination of neuroplasticity and the developing brain impact recovery. Thus, the purpose of this case report is to Case Description: A 17-year-old male who had an ischemic stroke in his right middle cerebral artery when he was 16 presents to an outpatient neurorehabilitation clinic nine months after the incident. He had already undergone inpatient rehabilitation in a pediatric setting as well as outpatient therapy at a neurorehabilitation clinic prior to the current episode care. Intervention: The main interventions focused on improving the patient’s running mechanics as well as his balance and strength. Outcomes: The outcome measure utilized in this case was the High-level Mobility Assessment Tool (HiMAT). Additionally, the patient had a goal of being able to return to snowboarding, which he achieved. He was still attending physical therapy at the time of this case report. Discussion: The HiMAT was used to assess the patient’s progress. Further research is needed for development of more vigorous tools to assess stroke patient’s return to higher-level activity that goes beyond more basic balance and walking-level assessments. The patient was able to achieve his goal of returning to snowboarding.