by Tiff -

Get Your Walk-On with Gait Training

When it comes to recovering from a spinal cord injury, doctors used to say there was no hope at all. But that is no longer the case, and gait training – the therapy treatment that suspends you in the air and helps you walk – surely proves this point.

Nearly every major rehab spinal cord injury facility now either has gait training or is trying hard to get the program going; that is how beneficial this treatment is. Creating new neural connections, preventing osteoporosis, increasing blood flow and more, the benefits are huge. For a quick look at gait training, read our post.

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Steve Laux

A Michigan boy who now lives in Minnesota, Steve Laux has by all accounts lived an average life, but not so fast. Voted the Best Dad on Wheels by the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation in 2012, Steve’s determination to live an “average” life post-injury has gotten him in the national spotlight. Read this entry
by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Teri Thorson

Even though she was injured over 15 years ago, you can still see remnants of her “old life” just by looking at her. A former model and go-go dancer, Teri Thorson, a Canadian Paralympian, as well as a fashion designer and mother, is one of the toughest low quads you’ll ever meet.

She’s also not afraid to go deep and talk about how she was able to overcome her dark early days post-injury. A font of awesome advice, check out the story behind one of the strongest women to hail from Canada, Teri Thorson. Read this entry

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Dr. David Card

Next to walking again, the ultimate goal of everyone with paralysis is to make the world see us and not our wheelchairs. And Dr. David Card, a family practice doctor from Bellevue, Washington, has not only made this happen, he’s an absolute expert at it.

With his renowned bedside manner, intelligence and professional reputation far outweighing the fact that he’s paralyzed, read on to learn about one of the few paralyzed medical doctors in the world, Dr. David Card. Read this entry

by Tiff -

SCI Folks Open Up On Health & Nutrition

Food can be so amazing some days we can completely forget we also must consume it to stay healthy. However, when you have a spinal cord injury, remembering this is more important than ever.

Our bodies have a much harder time communicating with our bones, muscles and skin post-injury. Making sure you eat the right kinds of things each day is huge. It can take some work making yourself eat the right things though. Food can be such a comfort when you have a spinal cord injury; it’s one of the things that still feels/tastes the same.

However, if you feed your body exactly what it needs, you really will be amazed at how rarely you get secondary health conditions related to your SCI. Check out three videos from people with spinal cord injuries opening up about nutrition and how to do it right. Read this entry

by Tiff -

How to Play Pool from a Wheelchair

One of the most enjoyable things I learned how to do in rehab was play pool.  Who cares about everything else, popping wheelies, learning how to make grilled cheese sandwiches, car transfers – perfecting my quad grip on my cue was all I cared about.  There was something about rolling around the pool table and feeling like a tough chic.

But the pool table isn’t exactly set-up for a wheelchair-user, especially when you try to play in a crowded place.  It can be difficult getting that sweet shot, but it’s far from being a lost cause.

There are several awesome pool players with spinal cord injuries, as well as hundreds more who just like to play even if they’re not that good.  To see exactly how playing pool in a wheelchair can be done, check out our four videos below. Read this entry