Paraplegic Walking Therapy

The theory behind this type of therapy is it will re-train the body to walk on it's own without cognitive thought. This therapy is normally offered to people with incomplete spinal cord injuries (those with some feeling/movement/control of the lower body). They are currently researching the possibility of including people with complete injuries but are unsure if it will be beneficial. Due to my T1 complete SCI, I was asked to participate in this study. The therapist is documenting my ability to support my upper body once weight is lowered down on my legs. Since I have absolutely no control below the chest level, it was definitely a challenge!

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Paraplegic
• walking
• therapy
• research
• quadriplegic
• paralyzed
• disabled
• wheelchair
• user
• how
• to
• spinal
• cord
• injury
• sci
• adaptation

[honkytonk2010]

You keep up with the therapy with in a year you'll be doing cartwheels.but you got to get off baclafin. good luck.

[blackpearlv6]

@honkytonk2010 For me, the baclofen pump has been a lifesaver so I will not be stopping anytime soon. This is not a therapy that I am continuing to do. I would've liked to continue it but I am not willing to have muscle spasms own me anymore. They were absolutely horrible.

[GOLDZCJ]

Were you born paralyzed or got it through injury?

[blackpearlv6]

@GOLDZCJ I severed my spinal cord in an accident in 2009.

[krisreckner]

Youre really lucky, Im trying to get therapy like this and in the therapy pool they have at my rehab facility, which is apparently one of the only ones in the northeast, but its like pulling teeth with only medicare and disability. aYou look like youre doing really well, what do youre therapists say when you tell them about the bike? You oughta go to therapy sometime on the bike and have someone follow you with your chair, just to see their jaws drop, lol

[blackpearlv6]

@krisreckner Hey Kris, I'm not actually getting this therapy consistently...I just volunteered for them to test me for 2 sessions. Even if I did want to do this therapy it would be a long way away and they said I would have to completely stop taking baclofen. I had HORRIBLE spasms before I got my baclofen pump so the benefits of this therapy don't outweigh the misery of 24/7 muscle spasms. I'm glad I did it though.

[elmarshall3216]

my nane is derek i am a 17 year old stroke survivor i had to take baclafin for my muscle spasms oncei was taken off the spsm got weaker but i now sometimes experience conas as you get stronger the connection between tour body and brain strengthens and the spasms go away

[maoeyestopperblame]

Hello! Very nice video. Please post more videos. You're really an inspiration. I hope we can meet someday. God bless you always. I am enjoying watching your videos. :)) Just take care.

[ruetoyou]

Brian, I posted a video back to you of me doing this. However, let me make it clear to anyone else watching this that I am a T10 incomplete (meaning that my level of paralysis is waist down and I have some movement in my hips and thighs). Brian, an interesting side note is that the faster the treadmill goes, the easier it is too swing my legs through. When it got slower I could hardly do it at all. I think this means I will run before I walk!:)

[krisreckner]

I hear ya with getting off baclofen ,I dont think I could do that either ,not without an inordinate amount of pain medication which tends to help with spasms as well as pain. Keep that in mind if they ever offer this to you again because I know someone that was able to walk again with therapy similar to this with the parallel bars.

[silvertip185]

"...re-train the body to walk on it's own without cognitive thought."

How could that ever work? There's voluntary and involuntary, I don't understand what the hopes of the therapists are in this treatment. Without the signal to walk, why would the muscles ever begin their action? It looks like it might be good for range of motion.