T6 and trunk stability

klcmacjac · 12-02-2003, 11:00 AM

I am a T6 compelete female, 10 months post injury. I do not feel stable anywhere except in my chair. Taking a shower or on the comode I need to have one hand holding on at all times. How do other females cath on the toilet without falling over. That one seems impossible to me! I just don't feel stable. Does time help?

Curt Leatherbee · 12-02-2003, 02:25 PM

It is not easy, like you said if you dont have a backrest, you need to brace yourself with one hand. Could you lean against the backrest on the toilet when cathing? This way you would be able to use both hands.

"Life is about how you
respond to not only the
challenges you're dealt but
the challenges you seek...If
you have no goals, no
mountains to climb, your
soul dies".~Liz Fordred

SCI-Nurse · 12-02-2003, 06:51 PM

klcmacjac - Have you received any PT/OT since being discharged from acute rehab? Have you worked specifically with an OT on techniques and skills to increase your stability? If not, it would be appropriate to ask for a referral to an SCI outpatient department where you could work on techniques and skills that would help increase your independence and stability. You will find, that over time, you will gain increased stability as your body adjusts to a new sense of gravity and a new center of balance. You are still quite new to SCI and time does enable you to become more secure and safe in all of your ADLs. Nevertheless, some assistance and additional rehab as noted above would certainly be helpful.

Former female patients of mine would scoot their hips forward, lean back against the commode or would do the same in their chair and then cath with an extender on the catheter, that could be directed into the commode or a urinal. Does your commode chair have a good backrest and arm rests on it? Both of these features are important for functionality. CRF

12-02-2003, 11:00 AM	#1
klcmacjac Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Missouri Posts: 69	T6 and trunk stability I am a T6 compelete female, 10 months post injury. I do not feel stable anywhere except in my chair. Taking a shower or on the comode I need to have one hand holding on at all times. How do other females cath on the toilet without falling over. That one seems impossible to me! I just don't feel stable. Does time help?

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12-02-2003, 02:25 PM	#2
Curt Leatherbee Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Florida Posts: 9,329	It is not easy, like you said if you dont have a backrest, you need to brace yourself with one hand. Could you lean against the backrest on the toilet when cathing? This way you would be able to use both hands. "Life is about how you respond to not only the challenges you're dealt but the challenges you seek...If you have no goals, no mountains to climb, your soul dies".~Liz Fordred

12-02-2003, 06:51 PM	#3
SCI-Nurse Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: USA Posts: 41,341	klcmacjac - Have you received any PT/OT since being discharged from acute rehab? Have you worked specifically with an OT on techniques and skills to increase your stability? If not, it would be appropriate to ask for a referral to an SCI outpatient department where you could work on techniques and skills that would help increase your independence and stability. You will find, that over time, you will gain increased stability as your body adjusts to a new sense of gravity and a new center of balance. You are still quite new to SCI and time does enable you to become more secure and safe in all of your ADLs. Nevertheless, some assistance and additional rehab as noted above would certainly be helpful. Former female patients of mine would scoot their hips forward, lean back against the commode or would do the same in their chair and then cath with an extender on the catheter, that could be directed into the commode or a urinal. Does your commode chair have a good backrest and arm rests on it? Both of these features are important for functionality. CRF