Activity Based Therapy after Spinal Cord Injuries

The benefits of Activity Based Therapy break down into three categories.
The potential for improved mobility
Prevention of secondary complications
Social and emotional healing
The simplest way it has been explained to me was from Matthew Rodreick of Unite to Fight paralysis. As he explained, even if a cure comes along if the muscles in an injured persons legs and body have deteriorated to the point where they cant even hold up their own body weight then that cure is useless to them. Even without a cure how can someone expect to live their healthiest life if their body is deteriorating. Preventing or at least slowing that process is critical and can only be accomplished through exercising the muscles.
Potential for Improved Mobility
o It’s important to remind everyone that no therapy or treatment can guarantee results. Some individuals will go through months or years of activity based therapy and not experience significant improvement in their mobility.
o On a positive note over the last 10-20 years countless people have aggressively trained and pushed their bodies with results they were told would be impossible to achieve. After all of this work some have been able to stand on their own, others are taking small steps either with or without assistance, and a then there are those that are walking. Not perfectly and not running marathons but yet they are doing something doctors told them they would never do again.
o Even those who make small improvements for example strengthening their core to prevent or minimize falling out of their chair, or regaining increased movement in a limb allowing them to use a joystick to control their chair see a marked improvement in their quality of life.
Prevention of Secondary Complications
o Typically once an individual has left acute care there is a shift from life saving treatment to evaluation and rehabilitation. This is when secondary complications become as much a threat to quality of life, and life itself as the original injury in many cases the secondary complications can become a bigger threat.
o The intense exercise associated with activity based therapy helps prevent pressure injuries. Diet, regular skin checks, stretching, and regular movement also help prevent these injuries.
o One of the biggest but often lest discussed changes someone goes through after a spinal cord injury is a decrease in cardiovascular health. Even for those that do not actively exercise, there is a minimal level of cardio exercise which occurs naturally by simply getting out of bed and walking around. Whether it’s just around the office to print something or between classes at school, most people walk a minimum of 5,000 steps every day. After a spinal cord injury each one of those steps is taken out of an individual’s daily routine.
o After an injury it is critical to make up for this loss of activity to ensure the cardiovascular system stays as healthy as possible.
Social & Emotional Healing
o As discussed separately many individuals, family members, caretakers, and friends feel alone after an injury. When working out at an activity based therapy center clients have the opportunity to meet and get to know others facing similar challenges and those who accompany their loved one to the workout also meet other clients and their support teams. Often those individuals who choose to go to the gym and are working out on a regular basis find they have a lot in common with other clients working out which leads to strong interpersonal connections and provides emotional support which is critical.
o After an injury it takes time to the new normal and everything that goes with it. Something as simple as going to dinner or a movie now requires checking to see if a venue is accessible, loading and unloading a wheelchair, explaining to a host that a booth isn’t going to work. Not to mention the stares and often uncomfortable questions that invariably get asked. This leads some to choose not to go out, they may shy away from their friends and avoid social settings.
o But after a hard workout who doesn’t want to go out for a cold beer or hearty meal? Many activity based therapy centers, just like any other gym or social club, provide informal opportunities to go out and have fun. Sometimes it’s going to a sporting event or concert, other times it’s just happy hour on Friday afternoon. But whatever it is, it’s something to look forward to. AND when you are with a group there are others who either have the same insecurities or have overcome those insecurities. Plus if you run into an issue there are plenty of friends there to help who know HOW to help.
o Individuals with spinal cord injuries not only go through the stages of grief after an injury but they also have a higher incidence of depression than the general public. By understanding and addressing this it may be possible to reduce depression and improve quality of life.

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Do you know of any books that have activity based therapies for SCI? Some with games? Thanks!

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Pls hindi translation