10 replies to this topic

[KING]

Dear All
Has anybody been to either Standing Start(Cambridge) or Physability (Stroud). These are exercise rehabilitation centres. Any comparative comments would be welcomed. Thankyou

[guido]

From what I understand the main difference is business model:

Standing Start: you pay for them to give you a programme and/or train someone to work with you (programme is based on Project Walk)
Physability: you do the phys under their instruction in their centre

But I have no experience of either and so cannot comment on anything further.

[beamer03]

I have been attending Standing Start since April 2009. I am 58yrs old and a T6 Complete for the past five years and a total sceptic when it comes to rehab programmes. I have tried virtually every form of therapy without any success.

I can now crawl across a floor on my hands and knees, I can kneel unaided and cycle on a spin bike unaided, nothing short of miraculous. Believe me when I tell you that the physios there are absolutely fantastic and are the most positive people I have ever met. Their motivation is second to none. It is hard work and I go twice a week (travelling from Surrey) for two hours at a time but the results speak for themselves. The improvement in my life has been brilliant and I cannot thank them enough. I know within myself that this year I will stand unaided.

Give them a call and come down and have a look, you may even see me cycling. In fact if you look on the you tube video on the webiste you will see me cycling. You can go there and get the physio or find yourself a trainer and they will train that person to work with you at home. I prefer the interaction at their facility and the buzz of other people around you.


All the best.

[Tetracyclone]

Seems like there is an astoundingly high rate of error in Doctor's diagnoses of Incomplete.

[edlee]

It does seem odd that a T6 complete can cycle,,, maybe it's a hand cycle,, but if it is, then what's so unusual?

Am I wrong to believe that if you have ANY sensation or movement below your lesion,, then you are NOT complete,, you are incomplete?

Sorry if I sound bitter,,, but if I hear one more person tell me I need to work harder and I'll be able to walk, I'm going to hit them in the privates.
ed

[beamer03]

Look at the you tube video on the Standing Start website and you will see me cycling. Yes I am a complete injury and this is confirmed every year I go for my check up. The parent company to Standing Start is in San Diego called Project Walk, check out their website or don't. Choice is yours really, I am only airing my own experience of Standing Start in reponse to someone's question.

[KeepTheFaith]

Edlee - It's more the type of therapy that you receive, rather than how hard you work. Although I currently put in 12 hours a week at Project Walk and work very hard at recovery. (I am only 13 months from injury) Any recovery is a good thing. Beamer03 is rejoicing in the smaller goals that he has reached that he never thought possible. His goal for this year is to stand unaided - Go for it buddy!
I was told by some very well educated and experienced doctors that I would never walk again, then when I had movement, I was told I probably wouldn't walk because of weakness or spasms. Every time I said, "I think I might walk again," it was met with a negative response and a condescending smile.
The Psychologist told me I was being unrealistic and that my parents need to "get their head out of the sand." That was said the first week that I arrived in acute rehab before I had even started any type of physical therapy.

At Project Walk I was met with nothing but positivity. Beamer03 talks about the positive attitude and motivation of the trainers, which is very important. I am currently taking steps with a walker. I can do sit-to-stands, ride the spin bike, roll over on my own, do deep squats on the Total Gym, and the list goes on. I am still weak and I still have a ways to go, but I see progress every week.

Unfortunately those negative messages that I got early on in my recovery pop-up every now and then. I have a hard time shaking them because they came from Professionals that were suppose to be experts on spinal cord injury. Makes me mad!!!!

Complete, Incomplete, MRIs, Asia Scores - Some of it is pretty subjective. Just go by what is happening in your body. Unless your spinal cord was completely severed, which is rare, there is always hope. Project Walk is sometimes accused of giving false hope. One doctor even told me that I was "paying for hope." Well, I think it is medical malpractice to give out false "no hope."

My answer to KING - Check-out Standing Start

Edited by KeepTheFaith, 23 January 2010 - 06:17 PM.

[Survivor35]

edlee, on Jan 20 2010, 11:15 PM, said:

It does seem odd that a T6 complete can cycle,,, maybe it's a hand cycle,, but if it is, then what's so unusual?

Am I wrong to believe that if you have ANY sensation or movement below your lesion,, then you are NOT complete,, you are incomplete?

Sorry if I sound bitter,,, but if I hear one more person tell me I need to work harder and I'll be able to walk, I'm going to hit them in the privates.
ed

Edlee, I was under the same impression... I was originally told I was a T6 complete, and as far as I know my pictures haven't changed, but the moment I gained some movement in my lower abs and hips back, that was changed to incomplete. Different doctors seem to have differing opinions, though, and it seems everyone has a different definition for these words. All I know is I feel much better being able to say incomplete now, rather than complete... the finality of that word is harsh. And, as far as people telling you to work harder and you'll be able to walk again, I snorted my soda up my nose when I read that.... oh, how true. I get so sick of hearing that. Or the old women at my church letting me know in their own way that if I prayed harder, if my faith was stronger, I'd be blessed with the full use of my legs again, damaged SC forgotten about. I feel like telling them, well, things my mother taught me not to say in Church.

beamer, I'm really happy for your return!! Thats what we all hope and work for, and I'm so happy to hear that it's going well for you. Hopefully my own therapy will have some big developments this year. Congrats again!!

King, I hope you figure out which will work out best for you!

Edited by Survivor35, 23 January 2010 - 08:36 PM.

[lar60]

KeepTheFaith, on Jan 23 2010, 06:14 PM, said:

Edlee - It's more the type of therapy that you receive, rather than how hard you work. Although I currently put in 12 hours a week at Project Walk and work very hard at recovery. (I am only 13 months from injury) Any recovery is a good thing. Beamer03 is rejoicing in the smaller goals that he has reached that he never thought possible. His goal for this year is to stand unaided - Go for it buddy!
I was told by some very well educated and experienced doctors that I would never walk again, then when I had movement, I was told I probably wouldn't walk because of weakness or spasms. Every time I said, "I think I might walk again," it was met with a negative response and a condescending smile.
The Psychologist told me I was being unrealistic and that my parents need to "get their head out of the sand." That was said the first week that I arrived in acute rehab before I had even started any type of physical therapy.

At Project Walk I was met with nothing but positivity. Beamer03 talks about the positive attitude and motivation of the trainers, which is very important. I am currently taking steps with a walker. I can do sit-to-stands, ride the spin bike, roll over on my own, do deep squats on the Total Gym, and the list goes on. I am still weak and I still have a ways to go, but I see progress every week.

Unfortunately those negative messages that I got early on in my recovery pop-up every now and then. I have a hard time shaking them because they came from Professionals that were suppose to be experts on spinal cord injury. Makes me mad!!!!

Complete, Incomplete, MRIs, Asia Scores - Some of it is pretty subjective. Just go by what is happening in your body. Unless your spinal cord was completely severed, which is rare, there is always hope. Project Walk is sometimes accused of giving false hope. One doctor even told me that I was "paying for hope." Well, I think it is medical malpractice to give out false "no hope."

My answer to KING - Check-out Standing Start

KeepTheFaith,

I like your last paragraph. I have found in reading many profiles on this site that, though the injury may be classified similar to mine, the severity of the injuries are definitely different.

lar60, on Jan 23 2010, 09:06 PM, said:

KeepTheFaith, on Jan 23 2010, 06:14 PM, said:

Edlee - It's more the type of therapy that you receive, rather than how hard you work. Although I currently put in 12 hours a week at Project Walk and work very hard at recovery. (I am only 13 months from injury) Any recovery is a good thing. Beamer03 is rejoicing in the smaller goals that he has reached that he never thought possible. His goal for this year is to stand unaided - Go for it buddy!
I was told by some very well educated and experienced doctors that I would never walk again, then when I had movement, I was told I probably wouldn't walk because of weakness or spasms. Every time I said, "I think I might walk again," it was met with a negative response and a condescending smile.
The Psychologist told me I was being unrealistic and that my parents need to "get their head out of the sand." That was said the first week that I arrived in acute rehab before I had even started any type of physical therapy.

At Project Walk I was met with nothing but positivity. Beamer03 talks about the positive attitude and motivation of the trainers, which is very important. I am currently taking steps with a walker. I can do sit-to-stands, ride the spin bike, roll over on my own, do deep squats on the Total Gym, and the list goes on. I am still weak and I still have a ways to go, but I see progress every week.

Unfortunately those negative messages that I got early on in my recovery pop-up every now and then. I have a hard time shaking them because they came from Professionals that were suppose to be experts on spinal cord injury. Makes me mad!!!!

Complete, Incomplete, MRIs, Asia Scores - Some of it is pretty subjective. Just go by what is happening in your body. Unless your spinal cord was completely severed, which is rare, there is always hope. Project Walk is sometimes accused of giving false hope. One doctor even told me that I was "paying for hope." Well, I think it is medical malpractice to give out false "no hope."

My answer to KING - Check-out Standing Start

KeepTheFaith,

I like your last paragraph. I have found in reading many profiles on this site that, though the injury may be classified similar to mine, the severity of the injuries are definitely different.

[dakroydjones]

Physability provide client centred programmes, tailor made programmes to suit individual needs. What ever the individuals goals are, Physability set out to help individuals reach those goals. Every injury is unique as are abilities. Physability tap into those abilities and push beyond.

guido, on Dec 12 2009, 10:41 PM, said:

From what I understand the main difference is business model:

Standing Start: you pay for them to give you a programme and/or train someone to work with you (programme is based on Project Walk)
Physability: you do the phys under their instruction in their centre

But I have no experience of either and so cannot comment on anything further.

[pjcstoke]

King

Te best solution is to visit the places and see for yourself what they do, how they do it and if it's right for YOU

Good luck