weak leg after stroke

my dad had a stroke two years ago, now his left leg is very weak, he walks very slow, and when he walks the left foot points outward to the side, he also has very difficult time to lift his left leg. is there any cure for this problem?

[sue_in_oz]

Hi

Sorry to hear about your dad, but it's great that he is up & about.

As his left leg is weak it will benefit from some targeted strengthening exercises.  These are a few I found useful.

Lifting the leg high while walking, may need support.  This exercises the quads which help to pick the leg up when walking.  Can also be done on machine targeting the area if the leg is strong enough.

Sideways walking, also may need support, keeping the legs straight.  I found this helped to turn my foot around from the side to the front.

When he is a bit stronger, he then needs to consciously try to walk as well as he can, to try bringing his leg straight through, toes pointing forward.  The more he practices doing it right, the easier it will become.

Basically, he has to keep working on it to maintain progress & gain more.  Also remenber, stability is more important than speed.  Speed will come when he is stronger & feels safer.

HTH

Sue