Oct 2, 2017

Crucial Information Concerning Spinal Cord Injury Exercises

By Raymond Jones


Basically, injuries to the spinal cord are simply damages on any part of the backbone. Such damages may result in loss of sensation and function in other body parts served by the spine. At the same time, these injuries may result in serious effects on the life of the individual. This is because losing function in your body parts may take away your independence and abilities. However, through spinal cord injury exercises, you can improve sensations and body functions.

Mostly, when the central nervous system suffers an injury, it is very hard to treat. Most of the damages caused become permanent though not all. However, there are certain activities such as physical rehabilitation and exercises are used to restore normal body functioning in non-permanent damages. This brings back personal independence. With this aspect, a SCI person should always take physical exercises with seriousness.

In most case, people think of spinal cord injuries or SCI and being completely paralyzed all the way down from the neck. However, this usually happens if the damage is severe and when it occurs at the neck. Again, a person may be paralyzed from the waist down. Although the two are possibilities following an injury, the prognosis may vary widely based on the severity of the damage.

There are certain problems associated with any type of damage or injury. In some cases, a person may continue with his life normally while in others the person will have to use walking aids. In other cases, the damage may be severe causing one to become completely disabled. A patient loses all the sensory and motor functions when the damage is complete. On the contrary, only some specific functions might be lost by a person when damage is incomplete. With this type of occurrence, it is very possible for the person to regain back the lost functions.

Following a SCI, it is essential to keep moving so as to avoid spasticity. Spasticity is a situation when the joints and the muscles become stiff and tight. As a result, movement becomes difficult. If spasticity is not treated, it may result in uncontrollable and painful muscle spasms in extreme cases.

This condition can be reduced in the case where flexibility is improved. This is achieved through passive and self-motion exercises. On the passive aspect of motion, physical, rehabilitation and occupational therapies are carried out. With this, a patient is able to move muscles and joints easily. A patient can, however, perform these motion exercises in a self-range. This is however possible where after the injury your arm can be moved fully or partially.

On the other hand, patients with SCI should practice stretching activities daily during recovery. This helps to improve and retain the range of motion. When the muscles become tight, the ability to perform your everyday activities such as dressing or moving to or from the wheelchair become limited. In return, your independence is limited as well.

A SCI patient is likely to develop secondary complications in case he does not carry out these activities. Pressure sores, respiratory complications, and UTI infections among are others some of the secondary complications. Weight gain, pain, and chronic spasticity are some complications managed by physical exercises.




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