Sensation allows us to make sense of - and interact with - our environment and those around us. It can be affected after a neurological event, such as a stroke or spinal cord injury. Movements may lack precision and control, making it difficult to use your arm and hand in activities of daily living. Sensory ‘re-education’ aims to stimulate and retrain complex neural pathways. N.B. Specific difficulties and degrees of recovery are different for everyone.
 
This printable document is designed for both the clinician and the patient/client they are supporting. It introduces the rationale for sensory re-education and then details principles and techniques. These include exercises focused on texture, pressure and temperature - as well as 'desensitisation therapy', for areas of the body that are hypersensitive.
 
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Version 2.0 (2026): Addition of 'Desensitisation Therapy'; updated terminology; improved category structuring; additional references/further learning links.
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Number of pages: 11
Format: PDF document (download)
Created by: Jamie Grant - Specialist Neurological Occupational Therapist; Hub Founder and Director