Sensory Rehabilitation
Integrated Community Stroke Service (ICSS):Telephone: 0300 125 5951
Stroke Sub Acute Rehabilitation Unit (SSARU): Telephone: 0300 124 6295
Helping your brain reconnect with touch, texture and everyday sensations after a stroke.
Following a stroke, some people experience changes in sensation, making it harder to feel or recognise objects with their affected hand. Sensory rehabilitation uses structured exercises to help retrain the brain to interpret touch and improve hand function during everyday activities.
What is Loss of Sensation After a Stroke?
A stroke can affect the nerves and areas of the brain responsible for processing touch and sensation.
This may cause your hand or arm to feel:
- Numb
- Less sensitive to touch
- Dull or “different”
- Less aware of temperature, texture or movement
Around 50–85% of people experience some degree of sensory loss after a stroke.
Reduced sensation can make everyday tasks such as dressing, eating, writing and handling objects more difficult.
What is Sensory Rehabilitation?
Sensory rehabilitation is a therapy programme designed to help the brain relearn how to recognise different sensations.
Although research is still developing, studies suggest that regular sensory retraining may improve sensation following a stroke.
The exercises on this page are based on the Study of the Effectiveness of Neurorehabilitation on Sensation (SENse) programme.
Your Physiotherapist or Occupational Therapist will advise whether these exercises are suitable for you.
The Five-Step Sensory Exercise
Practise these exercises regularly using your affected hand. For the best results, your therapist may recommend completing them for around 60 minutes each day over four weeks.
1. Explore
Close your eyes and pick up an object from your sensory box using your affected hand.
Spend around 20 seconds feeling the object. Think about its texture, shape, size or weight.
2. Calibrate
Now hold the same object with your unaffected hand.
Compare how it feels and use this as a reference for what your affected hand is trying to recognise.
3. Anticipate
Return the object to your affected hand.
Try to imagine how the object should feel based on what you experienced with your unaffected hand.
4. Feedback
Open your eyes and look at the object.
Seeing the object provides your brain with additional information to reinforce learning.
5. Repeat
Repeat the same process with different objects and textures in your sensory box.
Regular practice helps strengthen your brain’s ability to interpret sensory information.
Building Your Sensory Box
Your therapist may provide a sensory box containing a variety of objects to explore.
You can also create your own using safe household items.
Weight
Try objects with different weights, such as:
- Water bottles filled to different levels
- Food tins
- Small household items
Texture
Include a variety of surfaces, for example:
- Towels
- Fleece
- Velvet
- Lycra
- Wooden spoons
- Metal cutlery
Temperature
Explore safe temperature differences using:
- Hand warmers
- Containers of warm or cool water
- Other therapist-approved items
Shape and Size
Practise identifying different objects such as:
- Cutlery (using a blunt knife)
- Coins
- Paperclips
- Pasta shapes
- Small objects hidden in a bowl of rice
Everyday Tasks
You can also practise recognising common fastenings, including:
- Buttons
- Zips
- Velcro
These activities help transfer sensory skills into everyday life.
Tracking Your Progress
Keeping a record of your practice can help you see improvements over time.
You may wish to record:
- The date of each session
- The number of repetitions completed
- How many objects you correctly identified
- Any notes about how the exercises felt
Your therapist may review your progress during appointments and adapt your programme as you improve.
Tips for Success
To get the most from sensory rehabilitation:
- Practise regularly.
- Work in a quiet environment with minimal distractions.
- Take your time to focus on each object.
- Use a wide variety of textures, shapes and weights.
- Be patient—improvements often happen gradually with consistent practice.
Further Information
If you have any questions or if the exercises cause pain or discomfort, please speak to your Physiotherapist or Occupational Therapist.
Community Stroke Service
Telephone: 0300 124 6301
Stroke Sub-Acute Rehabilitation Unit
Telephone: 0300 124 6295
For feedback or general enquiries:
Telephone: 0300 124 5300
Email: sirona.hello@nhs.net
Looking After Your Mouth
Maintaining good oral hygiene is an important part of managing swallowing difficulties.
Keeping your mouth clean helps reduce bacteria and may lower the risk of chest infections caused by aspiration.
To maintain good oral health:
- Brush your teeth or clean your mouth at least twice a day.
- Clean your mouth even if you wear dentures or have no natural teeth.
- Consider using SLS-free toothpaste if regular toothpaste produces too much foam.
- Speak to your therapist or GP if you experience a dry mouth.
- Clean your mouth after meals if food tends to collect inside your mouth.
Everyday Tips for Safe Eating and Drinking
These simple tips can help make eating and drinking safer:
- Sit fully upright and stay alert during meals.
- Avoid eating or drinking while lying down.
- Reduce distractions such as televisions or radios.
- Take small bites and small sips.
- Eat slowly and avoid rushing meals.
- Make sure dentures fit comfortably.
- Avoid dry, crumbly or difficult-to-chew foods unless advised otherwise.
- Follow the recommendations provided by your Speech and Language Therapist.
Further Information
If you have concerns about swallowing difficulties or have noticed changes in your eating or drinking, speak to your healthcare professional or contact your local Speech and Language Therapy service.
Specialist Community Neurology Service
Speech and Language Therapy
Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire
Telephone: 0300 125 5550
Email: sirona.neuro@nhs.net
