I'm almost 3 years post injury(t4) and continue to be frustrated with my lack of abs and back muscles (sorta the weeble wobbles syndrome). Wonder if anyone has found a way to get them back and turn the flab back to muscles. Am currently doing three days a week at the Y and trying different exercises, but to little or no avail.

thanks in advance for any ideas

You want to work on your core muscles then?

I think most of us were probably like bobble-heads on day one in rehab, not being able to sit up without falling backward or forward.

First thing the PT's wanted me to do was work on propping with my arms- to the front, hands on knees, to the side leaning down on my forearm and behind using my arms. Then it was all about reaching for things and trying not to tip too far in any direction- to keep balanced. Get someone to hold a ball or an object out in front and to the side of you and then practice reaching. That'll hopefully clear up your wobbles.

In rehab I noticed how most guys, some five years post injury, still had to use their arms to raise themselves up from a lying position. I wanted to go from lying to sitting while not using my hands, like an AB could do easily. For this I realised I needed good strong back and ab muscles, a good core. I used an ab trainer for a bit but found it didn't help. I'd say give it a try and see. The one thing that has worked for me is free weights. If you can keep your trunk upright while doing freeweights, any normal freeweight exercise, then you will feel your core tensing and getting worked. I have worked with free weights three days a week for three months and can now, almost, sit up without using my arms. Hopefully, another month will see me finished and able to do it, but with just the freeweights I have noticed a vast imrpovement in my stability and core muscles.

I'm no expert mate, I can only tell you whats working for me, but give it a try and see what happens.

At T4 your only option is some sort of FES exercise.

Anything available that I can check on?

They did the whole.. "sit here while I throw a ball at your face" to me at all the rehabs I've been too.. I cant promise you will regain any function,.. but it will get those reflexes going and helps with balance.

thanks, Ches, guess I'm looking for an easy way, and as usual, there ain't one

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Yeah I went through that process as well. They took some old heavy basketball and threw it right at my face as well. I told them to stop and they wouldn't So, once I caught the ball, I threw it far away so the rec therapist had to chase it. I made her earn her paycheck for sure.

I am a T4, 1 year post injury. I have the same problem with the tubby tummy syndrome. I used a rubberband system for my upperbody and it keeps my upper body toned but I couldn't figure anything out for abs. I just use this electrical stimulant belt made by slendertone. It has toned my abs but they are still useless. My goal basically is to use it to help not gain weight. I use it about everynight. The only downside to it is that it makes my spasms worse. Since their is more muscle now, My ab spasms are stonger but I like it because the muscles are working at least.

I want to try biking but I don't have the necessary funds for it. I am sure that would help as well.

My PT suggested strengthening the core muscles for balance. So many things like this are hard for us SCIs to "get" because we never had weak torso muscles before. They just worked and did the job. Post injury I have trouble figuring out who quit working. I kept asking in rehab "Why can't I sit up straight?" No one answered. Of, course they all spoke Chinese, so maybe that was part of it? Reminds me of the nimnl M.D. who said I'd be so happy at the new hospital he was sending me to because they have group therapy there. The man knew I don't speak Chinese...

I work on mats on our living room floor. Lift legs while on my side- I'm good for 10 reps but they go from 8 or 10 inches at 1 to 2 or 3 inches at rep 10. No matter- I work those abdominals hard trying to lift. Lifts in front are very weak, but lifts behind are strong. Good back muscles at this point. Crawling feels like a very positive exersize. I do these month after month for 4 months now and see some improvement.

I got a recumbant exersize bike from Amazon.com for $200 when I got back to the USA. I could not get on a regular stationary bike, but this one you step through with just a 4 inch bar to clear. One could sit down first and turn also. The thing has been great. My legs have big muscles again and my wind is strong enough to sing again.

In addition, if I concentrate on keeping my body straight instead of swaying, it works my torso muscles very well. It was a 3 month struggle to get my left foot to stay straight enough- it would twist ankle-in to bash against the crank. When I begin pedaling I use a cane to pry my ankle out over and over until it is loose enough to stay there. I'm good on it for 25 minutes now, twice a day.

Right now I have an arm injury that prevents me working with canes. When it is resolved (I hope) I will get on a treadmill to force the fast twitch muscle reactions to work. Right now I do walking motions as slow as a praying mantis. The left foot drags after the first few steps, so much to do there.

Therapists encouraged me to work through pain until the arm was so bad I lost nerve function. This was not my first injury made bad by therapy, but it will be my last. Now I work under my own direction and only consult with therapists occasionally.