When lying back, can you sit up or roll sideways?

clueless · 01-21-2008, 03:22 AM

I’m a T12 complete with TBI which made the left side of my body a lot weaker. My right side is also weak but not as weak as my left side. When lying on my back, I can’t sit up nor roll on my side. Is this because of the TBI factor? I personally know 2 paras, one is T9 complete while the other is T12 incomplete and they can achieve these on their own with help from their hands, arms and elbows. Without any help from someone, I could just be lying there so I was wondering if all T-level injuries without complication like presence of TBI can commonly do these and if in my case (with TBI), there is hope that I will be able to do these in the future by perhaps strengthening my stomach muscles (doing sit-ups by holding on to a trapeze bar) and probably with the use of a gadget like a leg lifter.

-scott- · 01-21-2008, 06:59 AM

Lying flat on my back, I can sit straight up by propping up on my elbows & shifting my weight to my wrists. Rolling sideways I just throw my arms whichever direction I want to go & let momentum take over.

...and I have a C6 injury, functional @ C7.

wheeliecoach · 01-21-2008, 07:20 AM

My boyfriend has a T-7 injury and a TBI and he can sit up and roll sideways. He uses his arms and the headboard of the bed to help him roll to the side. He uses his arms and elbows in the same was Scott does to sit up.

keps · 01-21-2008, 01:21 PM

I have a T4 complete injury, and can sit up using my arms/hands. It is possible to sit up with no trunk/stomach muscles available, as these replies show.
To get on my side, I have to sit up, and move my legs (with my hands), one leg over the other, then as I'm returning to a lying position - but before I'm completely flat on the bed - I have to kind of shove my lower hip so it's on the bed.
However, I imagine I'd find it difficult - or impossible - with one side of my body very weak.

LaMemChose · 01-21-2008, 01:33 PM

It's still possible with one side weaker from a TBI. I was born with cerebral palsy (which is damage to the brain that affects the body) which affected the left side. Enter an SCI in '93 and while both sides are farkled, my left side is really a mess.

I lean to one side unless I really think about it and concentrate on being upright in my chair. I tend to go toward the weaker side almost naturally. In a sense it makes it easier for my dominant side to move the non-dominant. To go from prone to sitting takes much effort, but can be done. As Scott said, momentum is your friend.

As I say about so many things in my life, it's not pretty, but I find a way to do most of what I need to get done.

It takes practice, so keep trying. You should be able to find a way.

BTW, I'm a c-6/7 incomplete.

sjean423 · 01-21-2008, 02:33 PM

I am t7-8, complete. From flat on my back, I can sit up by turning slightly to one side, and pushing up on that arm. Then pushing with the other arm until up. (Kind of "walking" my arms up) To turn I fling my arms towards the side I want to turn, while turning my upper body. The momentum helps me roll. When turning in bed at night I do it Keps's way, as that allows me to position my legs and knees. Rolling my way doesn't give me any control as to where my legs end up, but works fine for dressing, or getting something from the far side of the bed.

I rehab, when learning to roll, I could only do it at first if my legs were crossed. The "arm flinging" works best (for me) if done from shoulders towards hip.

If you are looking to be able to roll independently having a rail or strap to pull on helps.

keps · 01-21-2008, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaMemChose

It's still possible with one side weaker from a TBI. I was born with cerebral palsy (which is damage to the brain that affects the body) which affected the left side. Enter an SCI in '93 and while both sides are farkled, my left side is really a mess.

Yeah, of course, I am speaking from having no experience of TBI. I know I can't really know how I'd cope with one.

LaMemChose · 01-21-2008, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keps

Yeah, of course, I am speaking from having no experience of TBI. I know I can't really know how I'd cope with one.

Oh, Karen. What I wrote wasn't aimed at anyone, especially not you. I kind of think outloud when I write and do not edit myself much. Perhaps I should edit more.

One side being stronger than the other has always been the norm for me so it is probably easier for me. Knowing one side is dominant and having always had to think that way probably made some things about SCI easier. I had always had to adapt and while it's been much harder SCId than before, I was already doing things my own way anyway.

Don't know if that made any sense, but I hope so. It's funny. I don't think of myself as TBI'd until a discussion like this pops up. Cerebral palsy by definition is a brain injury, but somehow I don't think about it, or myself, that way.

SCI-Nurse · 01-21-2008, 09:22 PM

At a T12 injury, MOST people can turn themselves. The key word is MOST. There are several other factors that can also impinge on your functional recovery- such as spasticity, weight, height, other fractures that may have happened, can also impact your function.

Your TBI will impact different things depending on where the injury occurred in the brain. It's hard to say if the weakness on the one side is related to this-

CKF

clueless · 01-22-2008, 02:08 AM

When turning to the left, I tried lifting/bending my right leg by pulling with my hand then with bent knee, I flung both my arms to the left side for momentum but I still had trouble so I grabbed the headboard and used all my strength to turn. I was able to but the position was quite uncomfortable and it took so much effort. I felt exhausted, felt like crying, having thoughts of self-pity because it was so hard just to roll to my side.

I tried sitting straight up with aid from the trapeze bar but it didn’t work out. Holding on to it only enabled me to raise myself at a 45-degree angle from the bed. I don’t have enough strength to make it all the way up or to a 90 degrees angle.

Thank you for all your replies. I learned how others with injury did them. I'll keep on practicing to see which way works for me and avoid focusing too much on my limitations.

01-21-2008, 03:22 AM	#1
clueless Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 77	When lying back, can you sit up or roll sideways? I’m a T12 complete with TBI which made the left side of my body a lot weaker. My right side is also weak but not as weak as my left side. When lying on my back, I can’t sit up nor roll on my side. Is this because of the TBI factor? I personally know 2 paras, one is T9 complete while the other is T12 incomplete and they can achieve these on their own with help from their hands, arms and elbows. Without any help from someone, I could just be lying there so I was wondering if all T-level injuries without complication like presence of TBI can commonly do these and if in my case (with TBI), there is hope that I will be able to do these in the future by perhaps strengthening my stomach muscles (doing sit-ups by holding on to a trapeze bar) and probably with the use of a gadget like a leg lifter.

01-21-2008, 07:20 AM	#3
wheeliecoach Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: East Haven, CT Posts: 2,516	My boyfriend has a T-7 injury and a TBI and he can sit up and roll sideways. He uses his arms and the headboard of the bed to help him roll to the side. He uses his arms and elbows in the same was Scott does to sit up. __________________ "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot nothing's going to get better. It's not." - Dr. Seuss

01-21-2008, 02:33 PM	#6
sjean423 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: connecticut Posts: 8,233	I am t7-8, complete. From flat on my back, I can sit up by turning slightly to one side, and pushing up on that arm. Then pushing with the other arm until up. (Kind of "walking" my arms up) To turn I fling my arms towards the side I want to turn, while turning my upper body. The momentum helps me roll. When turning in bed at night I do it Keps's way, as that allows me to position my legs and knees. Rolling my way doesn't give me any control as to where my legs end up, but works fine for dressing, or getting something from the far side of the bed. I rehab, when learning to roll, I could only do it at first if my legs were crossed. The "arm flinging" works best (for me) if done from shoulders towards hip. If you are looking to be able to roll independently having a rail or strap to pull on helps. __________________ T7-8 since Feb 2005 Last edited by sjean423; 01-21-2008 at 02:39 PM.

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01-21-2008, 06:59 AM	#2
-scott- Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Harrisonburg, VA Posts: 9,609	Lying flat on my back, I can sit straight up by propping up on my elbows & shifting my weight to my wrists. Rolling sideways I just throw my arms whichever direction I want to go & let momentum take over. ...and I have a C6 injury, functional @ C7.

01-21-2008, 01:21 PM	#4
keps Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 5,347	I have a T4 complete injury, and can sit up using my arms/hands. It is possible to sit up with no trunk/stomach muscles available, as these replies show. To get on my side, I have to sit up, and move my legs (with my hands), one leg over the other, then as I'm returning to a lying position - but before I'm completely flat on the bed - I have to kind of shove my lower hip so it's on the bed. However, I imagine I'd find it difficult - or impossible - with one side of my body very weak.

01-21-2008, 01:33 PM	#5
LaMemChose Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 10,954	It's still possible with one side weaker from a TBI. I was born with cerebral palsy (which is damage to the brain that affects the body) which affected the left side. Enter an SCI in '93 and while both sides are farkled, my left side is really a mess. I lean to one side unless I really think about it and concentrate on being upright in my chair. I tend to go toward the weaker side almost naturally. In a sense it makes it easier for my dominant side to move the non-dominant. To go from prone to sitting takes much effort, but can be done. As Scott said, momentum is your friend. As I say about so many things in my life, it's not pretty, but I find a way to do most of what I need to get done. It takes practice, so keep trying. You should be able to find a way. BTW, I'm a c-6/7 incomplete.

01-21-2008, 09:22 PM	#9
SCI-Nurse Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: USA Posts: 41,520	At a T12 injury, MOST people can turn themselves. The key word is MOST. There are several other factors that can also impinge on your functional recovery- such as spasticity, weight, height, other fractures that may have happened, can also impact your function. Your TBI will impact different things depending on where the injury occurred in the brain. It's hard to say if the weakness on the one side is related to this- CKF

01-22-2008, 02:08 AM	#10
clueless Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 77	When turning to the left, I tried lifting/bending my right leg by pulling with my hand then with bent knee, I flung both my arms to the left side for momentum but I still had trouble so I grabbed the headboard and used all my strength to turn. I was able to but the position was quite uncomfortable and it took so much effort. I felt exhausted, felt like crying, having thoughts of self-pity because it was so hard just to roll to my side. I tried sitting straight up with aid from the trapeze bar but it didn’t work out. Holding on to it only enabled me to raise myself at a 45-degree angle from the bed. I don’t have enough strength to make it all the way up or to a 90 degrees angle. Thank you for all your replies. I learned how others with injury did them. I'll keep on practicing to see which way works for me and avoid focusing too much on my limitations.