More than 147,000 people die each year from strokes, and those who survive are often left with severe disability and are at an elevated risk of experiencing a stroke again.
Stroke is the fifth leading cause of disability in the United States. Stroke victims may need to relearn how to do simple tasks they've been doing for decades, such as walking.
In Aiken County, staff at Great Oak Therapeutic Riding Center help patients relearn how to do some of these tasks by improving their mobility and coordination - from the back of a horse.
"The horse's gait naturally mimics a human's walk," said Nicole Pioli, director at Great Oak. "So some of our riders who have had stroke - when they get off our horses, they have a better time walking down the ramp after a ride than they had getting on."
When stroke victims ride, Pioli said the movement of the horses helps the brain relearn the necessary muscle coordination required for walking, without putting additional strain on the patients. Staff members assist patients with mounting, dismounting and riding.
"Over time, this, along with their physical therapy and occupational therapy...when it's consistent, it will help," Pioli said.
Dr. Jose Cardenas, a neurologist with the Aiken Physicians Alliance and board member of the American Heart Association, said Aiken is "lucky" to have the riding program at Great Oak to assist stroke patients.
"...Horse riding therapy can help improve balance, gait, grip strength, coordination and cognition in addition to the heartwarming connection that an individual can develop with a horse," Cardenas said.
Contributing factors toward stroke are especially high in Aiken County and the surrounding area. More than half of the area's population has high blood pressure, which is the leading cause of stroke, according to the AHA.
Cardenas also recommends taking small steps toward a healthier lifestyle - such as eating well, getting plenty of sleep, exercising, and attending regular medical checkups to decrease risk of stroke. Up to 80% of strokes are preventable, according to the AHA.
"Most stroke cases are the result of blood vessel disease that has been ongoing for several months, if not years," Cardenas said. "As physicians, we emphasize good health habits to help prevent the stroke."
