Recovery after a stroke, surgery or a concussion.

What it really looks like, and what helps. Answered with sources.

Asha does not diagnose or prescribe. She explains the evidence, cites it, and tells you when to get care today.

Rehabilitation happens at home, between therapy sessions, with a family asking whether this week is normal. Asha explains the evidence on timelines and therapies and what each phase involves. She says plainly which changes need a same-day call.

Ask Asha: The first months after a stroke Which signs are urgent

Five questions, no accountBuilt by two physiciansCited on every answer

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Stroke recovery timeline

The first months after a stroke: what returns, how much therapy is typical, and what is slow.

Recovery after a stroke has phases, and most of it happens at home between therapy sessions. Families ask whether this week is normal, whether a plateau is permanent, and what helps stiff muscles and low mood. Asha answers from the evidence and says when a change needs a same-day call.

How much movement comes backMy mother's stroke left her with weakness down her left side. What does the evidence say about how much movement returns, over what timeline, and whether recovery plateaus?Ask this Spasticity treatment after a strokeWhat does spasticity treatment after a stroke involve, from stretching to botulinum toxin (Botox), and how do we decide?Ask this Inpatient rehab or skilled nursingWe are choosing between inpatient rehabilitation and a skilled nursing facility after my husband's stroke. How do they differ, how much therapy does each provide, and what does the evidence say about outcomes?Ask this Aphasia and mood after a strokeMy wife has aphasia since her stroke and seems low and withdrawn. What does aphasia recovery look like, how is depression after a stroke recognized and treated, and what helps at home?Ask this

Post-op rehab timelines

After joint or spine surgery: range of motion goals, stiffness that is normal, and getting back to driving and work.

Every operation has a rehab protocol with phases, and each phase has goals for motion and strength. Stiffness, swelling and slow progress are common at some points and warning signs at others. Asha explains what the evidence calls normal for each stage and what needs a call to the surgeon.

Rotator cuff rehab at six weeksSix weeks after rotator cuff repair, what should my range of motion be, and what does a normal rehab timeline look like? Which exercises belong to each phase?Ask this Stiff knee after replacementI am ten weeks past a knee replacement and still stiff. Is stiffness normal at this point, what is scar tissue, how long does physical therapy usually continue, and when can I drive?Ask this Hip replacement week by weekWhat does recovery after a hip replacement look like week by week? When do people usually walk without a walker or cane, and which precautions matter early on?Ask this ACL and back surgery rehabWhat are the phases of rehab after ACL reconstruction, and what does physical therapy after back surgery look like? When do people usually get back to driving and work after each?Ask this

Concussion recovery, cited

Concussion and brain injury: the normal course, symptoms that linger, and when to be seen again.

Most concussions settle over days to weeks, and some symptoms last longer than people expect. Headaches, fog and poor sleep weeks later have a name and a plan, and a second injury too soon carries real risk. Asha explains the evidence on recovery, on return to school, work and sport, and on the signs that need a same-day visit.

Still symptoms two weeks laterI had a concussion two weeks ago and still have headaches and trouble concentrating. What is a normal recovery, when do I need to be seen again, and when can I return to work?Ask this What post-concussion syndrome meansMy symptoms have lasted more than a month and my doctor mentioned post-concussion syndrome. What is it, what does the evidence say about treatment, and how long does it usually last?Ask this My child's concussion and sportMy daughter had a concussion playing soccer. How does recovery differ in children, and how does she return to school and sport safely? What are the risks of a second concussion too soon?Ask this Brain injury rehab stagesMy brother is in rehabilitation after a traumatic brain injury. What are the stages of recovery, what does brain injury rehab involve, and what does the evidence say about returning to work?Ask this

Open Asha and ask your own

Do not wait for the next visit

Call 911, or go to the emergency department, if

a face droops, an arm is weak, or speech is slurred or lost, new or returning: call 911 and note the time it began
after a head injury, a headache keeps getting worse or vomiting repeats
after a head injury, confusion grows, the person is hard to wake, or there is a seizure
a calf is swollen and painful, or there is chest pain or breathlessness, after joint surgery
a fall leaves a limb bent or out of shape, or unable to bear weight

Stroke treatment and bleeding inside the head are measured in hours, so call first and let the crew decide.

911 call, danger to life or limb 988 call or text, mental-health crisis

For the people around them

For the person bringing them home

Most of rehabilitation happens between sessions, and the family carries it. Asha answers the questions that come up at the kitchen table, and says when to call.

Bringing him home after a strokeI am bringing my father home after his stroke. What should we set up first, what does rehabilitation at home involve, and which changes mean we call the same day?Ask this My role between therapy sessionsWhat is my role between therapy sessions, from exercises to preventing falls, and how do caregivers avoid burning out?Ask this

A thin teal key standing upright in a pool of translucent ivory liquid, its ring above the surface and its four pins to the right.

Know what is normal. Know what is urgent.

Tell Asha what is happening, in your own words. She answers from the evidence, shows where it comes from, and says plainly when the next step is a clinician today.

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How Asha answers

The evidence, its sources, and the line she will not cross.

Cited

Every answer shows its sources.

For rehabilitation Asha reads PubMed-indexed abstracts, the wider biomedical literature and orthopedics clinical sources, and cites what she uses.

Plain

She says when it is serious.

Asha does not diagnose or prescribe. She explains the evidence, cites it, and tells you when to get care today. When a symptom cannot wait, she says so first, and she gives the number to call.

Private

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Ask without signing up. Your conversations are private and are never sold. For clinicians: ask for the protocol, trial or guideline behind a timeline and Asha cites what the literature holds.

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About Asha. Asha is built by DNAi Systems, founded by two physicians. Answers are grounded in a curated medical knowledge base and checked against safety rules before they reach you. Five questions, no account. Then the first month free with a card. Your conversations are private and are never sold. Privacy, safety, pricing.

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If you are in crisis, call or text 988. In immediate danger, call 911.