Walking/Running Quads?

[gvinton]

Ok, the only people I had heard referred to as
If I saw some one climbing, hiking, cycling like anyone else would (not using wheelchairs/special bike etc) I wouldn't have considered them to still be 'quadriplegic' if they could do that, surely they would have been considered to have made a full recovery from their injury?

Ditto to what Rhyang said...

I probably would not consider myself a quad but by loose definition I am still considered a "walking quad". I am 100% independent and have been for some time. I golf, work out, etc. I do have a C5/6 injury (Brown Sequard Syndrome) and still have impairments on all 4 limbs.

At this point, no one would know I had been hurt unless I told them. However, I am NOT fully recovered. Just because you don't see the effects does not mean they are not there. I still experience some of the joys of this spinal cord injury.

I have been luckier than most for sure...

[Crashbang]

Katilea wrote:
If I saw some one climbing, hiking, cycling like anyone else would (not using wheelchairs/special bike etc) I wouldn't have considered them to still be 'quadriplegic' if they could do that, surely they would have been considered to have made a full recovery from their injury? as in what way are they still as disabled as someone who cant move or control their movements. I dont understand why someone then much more able would be classified with the same term as someone severely disabled and needing full time care?

It's a medical term that describes how the injury to the spinal cord has affected the limbs
You're correct that people often use the term 'quadriplegic' informally to describe more severely disabled people,
but that's a more casual, less precise use of the term.
As we know, these injuries are unique to each of us.
People with 'invisible' sci disabilities have their own unique set of problems,
including not always receiving adequate medical advice or longterm testing for things like AD, respiratory and sensory deficits, bowel and bladder care,
issues of overuse of muscles and nerves, advice on how best to preserve function as we age, etc., etc. These more mobile persons might also push themselves harder or feel pressured by others to do physical activities
beyond the point of what's appropriate for their capacity, causing overfatigue and injury.
Ultimately it isn't useful to make snap judgments about who is or isn't actually disabled, without knowing the full story.
As I understand it, the only people who make a full recovery from sci are those who have temporary bruising or swelling around the cord which subsides and heals.
People with permanent injury, even if not severe, will have continuing issues as they age and should be included as a part of the community here. Hope this helps further your understanding of 'quadriplegia'.

[Katilea]

Yes that's much clearer thanks. When I was very much younger and still fully mobile I used to volunteer in a spinal unit just on saturdays (i was still at college) to help and so they had extra people to push chairs to take people into town etc.

They were mainly spinal injuries a few head injury cases too and where I first heard the term quadriplegic used in relation to spinal injuries.

By the time I became disabled myself in my early thirties the word seemed to be springing up everywhere and I was seeing it alot in conjunction with kids with severe CP, which kind of made sense, as like the people who I had seen who were paralysed (what must have been a complete injury, although I didn't know the terms at time i worked there), although they could move their limbs they couldn't control them so it made sense that they had no functional use of arms and legs so was therefore in same category.

I think it was the Murderball DVD that first confused me as the guys were using their arms to fly up and down this sports hall!

I know what you mean about not considering yourself as disabled. I was actually born with my thyroid not working which caused epilepsy as a child (which wasn't really an issue for me as I have absolutely no memory of first 7 years of my life) and went deaf at age 16.

I never considered myself disabled when I was just deaf as apart from not been able to hear as well it didn't really stop me from doing much. It was seen as more of cultural and language difference as I could use sign as well and interpreter to keep up with lectures at uni.

It wasn't until I developed Cerebellar Ataxia in my thirties and got to stage I was needing wheelchair just to get around my house, everything was taking twice as long to do and twice as exhausting.. that I really started to feel 'disabled'

As my condition is going the other way it was my understanding that I would end up 'quadriplegic' in the sense that I'm losing fine motor co-ordination and already needing special programs to type and speak as more muscles throughout my body become affected by this condition.

I'm now wondering what the ataxia specialists meant exactly, when they use that term as it seems to have more than one meaning, and whether my condition will actually get as bad as I am thinking (based on my understanding of what quadriplegic meant).

According to your Asia scale I would already be on it and it wouldn't be too bad if this was as far as it goes! I guess I need to find out whether they meant I would be 'quadriplegic' in the sense that it would affect both arms and legs to some degree, or in the sense that I thought it meant.. been totally unable to use arms or legs.

[cheesecake]

Tetraplegia and quadriplegia refer to the same thing -- the difference is that tetraplegia is the more modern medical term, and quadriplegia is being slowly phased out.

I have only read about the term 'hemiplegia' on the web .. whether it's in current medical use I don't know. My doctor in rehab said I had tetraplegia.

Hemiplegia or a "hemi" is used to describe someone with paralysis on one side of their body. It is commonly used for stroke and CP as well as TBI.

There is also a term--dypeligia which means 2 bilateral limbs are affected. An exaple would be legs or arms. This is an older term used for CP.

K~ In the broarder sense I think your doctor meant paralysis that affects all 4 limbs. There are very few folks that have no use or movement from the shoulders down. Even CR could shrug and move a finger and ankle in the water. He also regained a significant amount of sensory.

I think it is best to think of paralysis in functional terms--how does it impact your mobility, etc. Most folks think I have minimal paralysis but so many of my deficits are hidden or I compensate for them. While I work full time, I still consider that I have a disability. Assistive tech and supports help me stay employed.

[cajun]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned possibly the most important aspect of the quad classification, the USA insurance company definition. If you break your neck in America, you are always a quad to the insurance companies. This was a very important pre-existing condition affecting your ability to get insurance and its cost. If Obamacare continues this won't matter, but it has been very important in the past.