Click to view attachmentI'm a level T4 injury. I was in a car accident in June of 08 so, I am a relatively new injury. I was wondering if any experienced T4's have any advice to working out and trying to keep fit. I use a device called wheelchair workout but it has been making my back ache. Are there any techniques or advice that one can give? I want to keep fit but I do not want to stress my back out too much in the process. My bars and pins are right between my shoulder blades and they bother me at the bottom of me cervical area. Will this pain subside over time?

Also, has anyone ever gotten any kind of surgery to rekindle any kind of flexibility after their original surgery?

Fellow T4 here, same annoying rod issue. To be frank, you're awareness of the rods will never stop. Working out will take some creativity, crunches wont be an option! I have a super hard time rasing both my hands above my head when seated, due to the rods, nor can i lay on my stomach (on a bench) and lift weights.. its just too much pain! Twisting will always be limited, and dont even think about reaching one arm out without, at the very least, noticing the rods.

The good news, the pain will become tolerable. I ended up with nerve pain on one shoulder blade, right at t3.. it comes and goes but compared to some I consider it minor.

Get your butt out of the chair, and do some work outs. Try using a standing frame and lifting weights. it will be tough but worth it. Im not sure how it feels to have rods anywhere else in ur body but I can tell you that the shoulder blades brings on horrible pain as u begin to develop more muscle. It will pinch, pull, stings, burn and everything you can imagine.. It gets better with time, but Im sorry dear friend, that awareness will never subside.

Thanks. I get the pulling and pinching a lot. Lots of cracking, which are the most scariest sounds. I just don't want to injure myself so that I cannot function regularly. I just want to have enough strength to move my chair around, in and out, well just about every preposition there is.

you wil get used to the pain & ignore it . ive got rods from t2 - t8. ive leant to do things differently & limitations are just normal. i dont realy notice them any more. i used to worry about screws comming out with the extreme activity but they seem to hang in there. im not a fan of gym or exersize machines ( seems like a waste of energy to make a weigth go up ) . i prefer doing fun things or working hard
cheers andrew