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Neurological rehabilitation and therapy Ryde

Neurological conditions

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Rehabilitation and therapy that’s tailored to you.

Recovering from a neurological event such as a stroke, or an acquired brain or spinal cord injury, or managing a condition like Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease, or Guillain-Barré syndrome affects everyone differently. Outcomes are shaped by the type, location, and extent of neurological damage, as well as each person’s life stage, goals, and what aspects of their daily life have been impacted.

At Royal Rehab LifeWorks Ryde, we combine the latest in rehabilitation technology with expert clinical care to deliver truly personalised therapy – supporting you to achieve your goals and maintain the best quality of life possible.

We also provide neurological rehabilitation across our other Sydney locations, including Petersham, Collaroy and Penrith.

Rehabilitation and therapy targets

  • Mobility and balance: Enhance ability to stand, walk, and manage the risk of falling.
  • Muscle strength: Build and maintain strength to support overall physical function.
  • Fatigue: Implement strategies to improve energy levels and endurance.
  • Arm and hand use: Increase use and strength of upper limbs.
  • Swallowing difficulties: Reduce the risk of choking and ensure safe, enjoyable eating and drinking.
  • Speech and communication: Develop clearer and more effective communication skills.
  • Nutritional support: Optimise diet, where necessary including advice on enteral feeding.
  • Cognitive function: Enhance memory and problem-solving abilities.
  • Independence: Enhance independence through home modifications, adaptive equipment, and assistive technologies.
  • Sexuality: Address sexual health, and physical and intimacy concerns.

Your program may include

Neurological physiotherapy
By focusing on neuroplasticity, movement, strength, and everyday function, our physiotherapists support recovery with targeted techniques.
  • Task-specific training: Practising real-life movements to retrain the brain, helping with walking, siting, standing, and moving independently.
  • Building strength: Tailored exercises strengthen weakened muscles, improving stability and preventing further strength loss.
  • Enhancing balance and coordination: Specialised exercises improve balance and coordination, reducing the risk of falls and improving ability to engage in functional tasks.
  • Improving arm and hand function: Strengthening and coordination exercises help restore movement and dexterity in affected limbs.
  • Managing muscle stiffness; Stretching and positioning techniques help reduce tightness and improve comfort.
  • Reducing pain: Physiotherapy helps alleviate joint and muscle pain caused by imbalances or improper movement.
  • Preventing complications: Regular movement and therapy help reduce the risk of issues like pressure sores, contractures, and blood clots.
  • Boosting confidence and wellbeing: Achieving progress through physiotherapy can enhance self-esteem and overall quality of life.
Occupational therapy
By focusing on practical skills and adaptive strategies, occupational therapists empower you to navigate daily challenges more effectively.
  • Enhancing independence: Learn new techniques to perform everyday activities such as dressing, cooking, and bathing with greater ease.
  • Improving arm and hand function: Strengthening and coordination exercises help restore movement and dexterity in affected limbs.
  • Enhancing vision and perception: Techniques and adaptive strategies can help manage visual impairments and spatial awareness challenges.
  • Adapting to your environments: Therapists provide recommendations for home modifications, such as grab bars or adaptive equipment, to improve safety and accessibility.
  • Conserving energy and managing fatigue: Learn strategies to pace activities, conserve energy, and prevent overexertion.
  • Returning to work and community activities: Tailored strategies help individuals regain skills needed for work, hobbies, and social engagement
Speech pathology
Neurological conditions can affect the ability to speak, understand language, and even swallow. Speech therapy plays a vital role in helping individuals regain these essential skills, improving both independence and quality of life.
  • Improving communication skills: Help express thoughts more clearly, understand spoken language, and engage in meaningful conversations. This may involve exercises to improve word retrieval, sentence structure, pronunciation, and overall clarity.
  • Managing aphasia: Aphasia affects the ability to speak, read, write, or understand language. Speech therapy provides structured exercises to strengthen these skills, helping individuals communicate more effectively.
  • Dysphagia treatment (swallowing support): Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) is common after a stroke and can lead to choking or aspiration pneumonia. Speech therapists assess swallowing function and provide targeted exercises to strengthen throat and mouth muscles, making eating and drinking safer and more comfortable.
  • Learning alternative communication strategies: If verbal speech remains difficult, therapists introduce alternative methods such as picture boards, gestures, or assistive communication devices to help individuals express themselves in new ways.
Hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy, or aquatic therapy, is highly beneficial in neurological rehab due to the buoyancy and warmth of water.
  • Improving balance and coordination: The buoyancy of water offers support, reducing the risk of falls and allowing you to practice balance exercises with greater confidence, which is key to regaining stability and independence.
  • Increasing muscle strength: Water resistance naturally provides a form of resistance during movement, helping to build muscle strength in weakened areas, even for individuals with limited mobility.
  • Enhancing range of motion: The warm temperature of the water helps relax muscles and reduce stiffness, promoting greater joint mobility and flexibility.
  • Reducing pain: The soothing warmth of the water can alleviate muscle pain and spasms, helping to relax the body and reduce discomfort.
  • Improving gait and walking ability: Practicing walking in water can help you relearn proper gait patterns and improve walking ability by offering a low-impact way to work on movement.
  • Proprioceptive training: The water provides sensory input, enhancing body awareness, which is often impaired due to neurological injury or condition, helping you regain a better sense of movement and positioning.
  • Enhancing cardiovascular health: Aquatic exercises improve cardiovascular fitness, supporting overall physical recovery and stamina.
  • Enhancing mental wellbeing: The supportive, weightless environment of water can boost confidence and motivation, helping you maintain a positive mindset throughout your rehabilitation journey.
  • Reducing spasticity: The buoyancy and resistance of water can help manage muscle spasticity (muscle tightness), by providing gentle movement and reducing strain.
Dietetics
Addressing nutritional needs, promoting recovery, and supporting long-term health, our dietitians play a key role in neurological rehabilitation through personalised dietary strategies.
  • Supporting brain recovery: Nutrient-rich diets help fuel brain healing and support neuroplasticity.
  • Managing swallowing difficulties (dysphagia): Dietitians work with speech pathologists to modify food textures and ensure safe, enjoyable eating.
  • Preventing malnutrition: Individualised plans help maintain weight, energy levels, and muscle mass during recovery.
  • Controlling blood sugar: Nutrition strategies help manage diabetes or fluctuating blood sugar levels that may impact recovery.
  • Addressing appetite and taste changes: Tailored advice helps navigate changes in hunger or taste sensitivity.
  • Supporting bowel health: Diet can help manage common issues like constipation through fibre, fluids, and meal planning.
  • Encouraging independence: Dietitians provide practical tips for meal preparation, food choices, and grocery shopping to support daily living skills.
  • Improving overall wellbeing: A balanced, enjoyable diet contributes to mood, energy, and motivation throughout the rehabilitation journey.
Exercise physiology
Using tailored, evidence-based movement programs, our exercise physiologists focus on rebuilding strength, restoring function, and improving overall health and wellbeing.
  • Enhancing physical function: Structured exercise helps regain mobility, endurance, and independence in daily activities.
  • Improving cardiovascular health: Aerobic exercise supports heart and lung function.
  • Building strength and endurance: Targeted resistance training combats muscle weakness and fatigue.
  • Enhancing balance and coordination: Exercises are designed to improve stability, reducing falls and promoting safer movement.
  • Supporting neuroplasticity: Repetitive, meaningful movement patterns help the brain rewire and adapt.
  • Managing fatigue: Graded exercise programs are designed to improve energy levels and reduce fatigue.
  • Addressing chronic conditions: Programs consider co-existing conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, or obesity.
  • Encouraging long-term self-management: Education and home-based exercise plans empower individuals to maintain their progress.
  • Boosting mood and motivation: Physical activity supports mental health, confidence, and a sense of control over recovery.
Adaptive recreation
Adaptive recreation promotes physical activity, social connection, and enjoyment through modified leisure and community-based activities.
  • Encouraging physical activity: Recreational activities are adapted to improve mobility, strength, and overall fitness in a fun, engaging way.
  • Rebuilding confidence: Participation in enjoyable, achievable activities fosters independence and a sense of accomplishment.
  • Supporting social connection: Group-based programs help reduce isolation and promote peer support and community engagement.
  • Enhancing emotional wellbeing: Leisure activities provide purpose, reduce stress, and support positive mental health.
  • Improving coordination and motor skills: Recreational tasks like art, games, or sport-based activities help refine fine and gross motor function.
  • Fostering inclusion: Activities are tailored to individual abilities, ensuring everyone can participate meaningfully and safely.
  • Promoting lifelong habits: Encourages sustainable engagement in healthy recreation and leisure beyond the rehab setting.
  • Exploring new interests: Adaptive recreation provides opportunities to discover new hobbies and redefine life post-stroke.
  • Integrating into the community: Programs help individuals access inclusive community facilities and events with confidence.
Driving assessments
Our driver-trained occupational therapists assess and support individuals in safely returning to, continuing, or beginning to drive, with personalised strategies and training.
  • Assessing driving ability: Comprehensive evaluations identify how your condition has affected the physical and cognitive skills needed for safe driving.
  • Rebuilding confidence: Practical support and gradual exposure help reduce anxiety and rebuild self-assurance behind the wheel.
  • Tailoring interventions: Individualised programs may include in-vehicle assessments or off-road testing.
  • Recommending modifications: Advice on vehicle modifications (either to support vehicle access as a passenger or to return to driving a vehicle) ensures comfort, safety, and ease of use
  • Supporting decision-making: Clear guidance helps individuals and families make informed, safe choices about continuing or returning to driving.
  • Liaising with medical and licensing authorities: Assisting with documentation and communication for fitness-to-drive determinations.
  • Providing alternative transport solutions: If driving is no longer safe, therapists can help explore other mobility and transport options.
  • Promoting long-term road safety: Ongoing support focuses on maintaining safe driving habits and responding to any future changes in ability.
Home modifications
Tailored home modifications that improve safety, accessibility, and independence for people living recovering from a neurological condition.
  • Expert guidance and home assessment: Your Occupational Therapist will conduct a thorough review of your home to identify areas that may benefit from modification. They will then arrange a joint visit with a qualified builder. Together, they will collaborate with you to explore feasible modifications and ensure proposed changes align with your personal needs and goals.
  • Support with funding and installation: We will provide recommendations for the required home modifications, including preparing drawings and detailed reports to support applications to relevant funding bodies.
Sexuality services
Our sexuality services provide compassionate, expert support for people with disability, navigating challenges around sex, intimacy, and relationships.
  • Dating and intimacy: Support for navigating relationships and intimacy after illness, injury, or disability.
  • Online safety: Learn how to stay safe while dating online, including tips on cyber safety.
  • Consent and respectful relationships: Understand the importance of consent and how to build healthy, respectful connections.
  • Sexuality & identity: Explore and express your sexual orientation and gender identity in a supportive environment.
  • Body awareness and skills: Develop greater body awareness and learn practical skills for more enjoyable sexual experiences and relationships.
  • Exploring sexual interests: Safely explore your desires, interests, fantasies, and fetishes without judgment.
  • Sexual health: Get information on STIs and learn about safer sex practices.
  • Performance anxiety: Work through concerns around sexual performance and build confidence.
  • Connecting with specialist services: While we do not offer sex work services, we may be able to help connect you with appropriate and respectful providers that meet the needs of people with disability.
Upper limb program
Our upper limb program offers a comprehensive and evidence-based approach, combining therapy and advanced technology to help you maintain strength, function, and independence in your arms and hands for as long as possible.
  • Movement retraining: Hands-on support from your therapist to improve range of motion to allow for more functional use of your upper limbs including improved ability to grasp and release objects.
  • Strength building: Exercises to strengthen upper limb muscles, including gym programs.
  • Repetitive task practice: Repeating parts of a movement and practicing the full task you’re working towards.
  • Advanced technologies: Use of advanced technology devices including end effector, exoskeleton, virtual reality and sensor-based devices to allow for high repetition of supported movements. The advanced tech devices improve engagement through gamification.
  • Electrical stimulation: Using devices like Neurotrac and Xcite to activate and strengthen muscles.
  • Electromyography: Using devices like Luna EMG to monitor electrical signals and trigger upper limb movements.
  • Equipment prescription: This can include adaptive equipment such as cutlery or supportive equipment like a sling or a splint.
  • Education and pain management: Learning strategies to avoid unhelpful habits, improve positioning, and manage pain.
  • Carer involvement: Training for your support worker or family member to help you continue therapy at home.
PD Warrior® program
Designed specifically for Parkinson’s, PD Warrior® is more than just exercise—it’s a high-energy, neuro-active training program that helps you move better, feel stronger, and stay independent for longer.
  • Dynamic, neuro-active exercises: Targeted movements designed to challenge the brain and body.
  • Strength, agility, and confidence: Training that improves mobility, coordination, and overall movement control.
  • Symptom management: Evidence-based techniques aimed at slowing symptom progression and enhancing quality of life.
SPEAK OUT!® program
The SPEAK OUT! program, created by the Parkinson Voice Project, has extensive research to show it is one of the most effective interventions for helping people with Parkinson’s disease and related conditions improve their speech and swallowing.
  • Personalised evaluation: Your journey begins with a one-on-one evaluation by a Certified SPEAK OUT!® therapist – a speech-language pathologist specially trained in the SPEAK OUT!® method.
  • Learn the power of “INTENT”: You and your loved ones will watch a short video that explains how Parkinson’s affects speech and why speaking with “INTENT” is key to success.
  • One-on-one guidance: You’ll work closely with your therapist to learn the SPEAK OUT!® exercises and set up a home practice routine. Most people reach their goals in 8–12 sessions.
  • Join the group: As you near the end of individual therapy, you’ll transition into a weekly SPEAK OUT!® Group. This is a great way to keep practicing, stay motivated, and connect with others.
  • Ongoing check-ins: To maintain your progress, you’ll meet with your therapist every 3 to 6 months. These check-ins help fine-tune your plan and keep your speech strong.
  • Keep practicing at home: Daily practice matters! You’ll use the digital Booklet, Flashcards, and online SPEAK OUT!® exercises to stay on track from home.
Get in touch
NDIS Funding
iCare funding
Medicare funding
MyAgedCare funding
Health insurance

Meet the team

There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing someone realise they’re capable of more than they thought possible.

Joel
Physiotherapist
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Our locations

New South Wales

Ryde Petersham Collaroy Penrith Ryde-Eastwood Dubbo

Queensland

Cairns Townsville Brisbane Atherton

Victoria

Melbourne
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1800 518 180
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