Altered body perception and comfort after stroke: An embodied interpretive phenomenological analysis

Stott, Hannah; Cramp, Mary; McClean, Stuart; Turton, Ailie

Abstract

Stroke can cause changes to how the body is perceived, and survivors often experience altered sense of limb position, movement, sensation, weight, awareness, and pain. However, there is little literature capturing experiential accounts of these changes. This study explored experiences of altered perceptions after stroke, determining whether participants’ experienced discomfort and required further support. A phenomenological approach was adopted to achieve an in-depth and holistic exploration of embodied experiences. Sixteen stroke survivors were purposively selected from community groups. They were at least 6-month poststroke, experiencing motor and sensory impairments, and able to communicate verbally. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in participants’ homes. The data and reflexive notes were explored via interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA). Participants were 6 females, 10 males; 8-month to 22-year post-stroke, and aged 39–79. Participants described a body which did not exist, a body hindered by strange sensations and distorted perceptions, an uncontrollable body, and a body isolated from health professionals and clinical interventions. Participants expressed discomfort and feelings of conflict towards the body. They found their experiences difficult to make sense of and hard to verbalise. Stroke causes a complex sense of physical and psychosocial disembodiment, which is uncomfortable and of concern to survivors. Embodiment research suggests these domains may interact with one another, and further research would elucidate these relationships and foster new approaches for rehabilitation. IPA is a useful analytic tool to provide insights to guide future research, as it can reflect holistic factors whilst staying rooted in the bodily experience.

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (Published)
• Conference Name: Qualitative Health Research Conference
• Start Date: Oct 26, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Jan 22, 2019
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2019
• Deposit Date: May 11, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: May 12, 2021
• Publisher: SAGE Publications (UK and US)
• Volume: 18
• Pages: 36-37
• Series Title: Abstracts, Oral Presentations for Qualitative Health Research Conference, 2018
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406918819362
• Keywords: stroke
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/5028668