Few Questions, Please?

[WonderDerek]

Hi, I'm new to these boards and am registered on another board as well. I am a T10 "complete" paraplegic and have gotten movement back in my lower torso. The way I got those muscles working/moving again was doing excersizes that involve those muscles and after doing things for so long the muscles started getting motion again and now have T12 movement. That's just a very quick explanation of my injury, I'll post another thread to that on New SCI page.

Question is what are some excersizes that will involuntarily get some leg muscles moving again if possible. I think the next after torso would be hip flexors, right? If so, what are some excersizes that I could possibly do? If not, what would be the next muscle group after T12 that would start working and what excersizes could I do to get those firing again? Thanks for everyones replies.

[dan_nc]

That is exciting that you got back some movement. How long after injury did you start experiencing the changes? Are you still complete?

[WonderDerek]

Thanks. One month after my surgery I got movement back in my lower abs. So, when I started to fall backwards suddenly I was able to hold myself up to some extent. About three weeks ago I got movement back in my lower back and my obliques. I don't know if I'm still complete, if you gain movement back does that mean you are in complete? Because I can tighten all of those muscles and they are all below my belly button which is where I was paralyzed originally.

[mr_coffee]

Congradulations on the return!

I know the hip flexors is what move ur leg to take a normal step. Which is veyr hard for me to get back on my left leg. But, my left leg got return back to "swing through" by itself by just constantly walking with a walker. When i first started, i had to use my upper body to swing it through but after months of doing it, it just came back. Can you walk with KAFO's?

[WonderDerek]

Can't walk at all. Have absolutely no controlled movement in my legs yet. I was T10 and now have T12 movement. Have my fingers crossed for more to come back. How soon did it take you to get some back? Dude, you are LUCKY. By the way, what are KAFOS?

[mom01]

WonderDerek,

Keeping going! Never, never stop! Congratulations!

[dan_nc]

Can't walk at all. Have absolutely no controlled movement in my legs yet. I was T10 and now have T12 movement. Have my fingers crossed for more to come back. How soon did it take you to get some back? Dude, you are LUCKY. By the way, what are KAFOS?

KAFOs are knee-ankle-foot-orthosis (long-leg braces). They may be able to help you walk depending on what motor deficits are presented.

[WonderDerek]

Thanks. How much are they and with those on, could I just stand a certain amount of time each day? I miss looking in the mirror seeing how tall I was:D . Also, I have a bit of footdrop, how do you fix that? I always sleep on my stomach and I know this doesn't help the matter either.

One more thing, what do I do if I get the KAFOs? What do I do to try and get some leg movement back? I know swinging my hips with my upper body might, right?

[Mike C]

A passive way to help against foot drop is to angle your wheelchair footrest(s) so that your toes are higher than your heel. You also need to be standing in a standing frame on a daily basis. Is there any chance that you can participate in a gait training program?

[mr_coffee]

Derek,

Do you go to therapy? If not, start going. That way you can get ur therapists to recommend u get the KAFO's that way you don't have to pay for them yourself. Tell them you want to try braces to walk on the parellel bars. Even if they tell you, we don't think you can do it, tell them f u, i wanna try. That way, when you can do it, they gota get you the KAFO's if its going to help u recover. Also if you can't do it the first time, don't give up. Once you can do parellel bars, you can then move onto a walker.

It took 3 months post injury to get my right toe to flicker, then from there everything start coming back. But there is still alot of stuff missing along the way. at T-12 level, i do believe you can walk with 2 kafo's and swing through with ur upper body, but what i'm saying is, if u continue to swing through, perhaps it will wake somthing else up! goodluck!

[WonderDerek]

Derek,

Do you go to therapy? If not, start going. That way you can get ur therapists to recommend u get the KAFO's that way you don't have to pay for them yourself. Tell them you want to try braces to walk on the parellel bars. Even if they tell you, we don't think you can do it, tell them f u, i wanna try. That way, when you can do it, they gota get you the KAFO's if its going to help u recover. Also if you can't do it the first time, don't give up. Once you can do parellel bars, you can then move onto a walker.

It took 3 months post injury to get my right toe to flicker, then from there everything start coming back. But there is still alot of stuff missing along the way. at T-12 level, i do believe you can walk with 2 kafo's and swing through with ur upper body, but what i'm saying is, if u continue to swing through, perhaps it will wake somthing else up! goodluck!Yea, I go to therapy but they don't have the parellel bars but they could recommend the braces, that's a good idea. And no one thinks that the KAFO's will work but I'm willing to try even if it's just a way for me to stand up every day. What level were you after your accident and how long ago was it?

[mr_coffee]

I was c7, at the beginning, not sure what i function at now. So i was paralzyed from the chest down, no trunk balance, couldn't hold a piece of paper in either hand. My injury was October 16th, 2004.

Yeah standing alone will be helpful. You know a compelte, around T4, he walks with 2 kafo's for exercise, so for u it would also help. Keep at it.