9 replies to this topic

[Vanessamaee]

Just to fill everyone in, the therapy place I go to is terrible. Ive been discharged form OT and PT back in July but still go there to ride the fes bike. I (sometimes, about once a month) talk to my therapist about other things I can do, such as standing. She has told me that since I am a complete injury I cannot do the Walking gait (harness over a treadmill), standing frame, parallel bars, para step and a couple of other things. At first they even told me I cant ride the fes bike but I pushed for that super hard, they wont budge on anything else though. I talked to her on Monday of this week and I think I have her convinced to let me try the parallel bars. She is going to have me wear full leg braces, which een though I did the parallel bars as an inpatient back in June without full leg braces, Im not going to complain, I just want to do it. But now shes trying to talk me out of it saying that she guarentees that my hips just spasm and I jack knife forward and fall and that I more than likely wont be able to tolerate it so it'd just be a waste of time. I want to know what experiences you guys have had with parallel bars? do you use leg braces? are you able to tolerate it? I am a T3/T4 complete injury so I wont be walking or anything, just standing, I just want to get an idea of what to expect so I get the image of me face planting out of my head. Thank You!

[Tetracyclone]

I don't get it. If you could stand before without full bracing, how is that complete.

The less you do, the more you will spasm. Your therapist is unsuitable for someone with your profile, but you already know that. Be a storm trooper and bully her. Tell her you sill only spasm the first few times. Are you using a standing frame at home?

It is easy to bolt a belt onto a counter or anything the right height.

[Vanessamaee]

 Tetracyclone, on 11 November 2011 - 02:17 AM, said:

I don't get it. If you could stand before without full bracing, how is that complete.

The less you do, the more you will spasm. Your therapist is unsuitable for someone with your profile, but you already know that. Be a storm trooper and bully her. Tell her you sill only spasm the first few times. Are you using a standing frame at home?

It is easy to bolt a belt onto a counter or anything the right height.

Sorry I just now saw this. Before when I was "standing" using parallel bars I had a gait belt wrapped around my thighes to keep my legs in and someone sitting in front of me blocking my knees. I have been on her case a lot about letting me do stuff. No I am not suing a stander at all and havent since I left the hospital. She doesnt allow me to. And right now I think she is avoiding me so she doesnt actually have to work

[Beautiful]

I had fitted braces and used the parallel bars to "walk" with them on. I tolerated it fine, although I'm a lower injury. But your bones are probably in better shape than mine.

[Tetracyclone]

VM,
Maybe reconsider the home remedy of bolting a belt onto a counter. A soft towel in between knees and cabinet hold the knees steady. It is not easy to find just the right setup for this, but if you know what a standing frame looks like you can search for something in the home that will work. Possibly. Someday?

Can you ask for a different therapist?

[Vanessamaee]

Since I am leaving for college in a couple of months, I will no longer be going to the place I go to now but instead to the facility on college campus., I have heard they are much better (:

[Trinity]

Could you not use a standing frame? It would put a lot less stress through your shoulders and if you do spasm you are nice and secure with no chance of falling face first onto the floor!

[Vanessamaee]

they wont allow me to use a standing frame saying it wont be beneficial. Even though it would be weight wearing on my long bones and help prevent osteoprosis... bu tI mean what dies that matter right? (sarcasm) lol

[davjed]

With your attitude and all of the recovery you've done so soon, I would encourage you to try standing in KAFOs perhaps when you get to college and a better therapy set up. You have to arch forward and keep your butt under you or wind up falling back on your butt hard which might aggravate your injury. Standing does have it's physical and psychological benefits but it's not for everyone. The newer composite "lightweight" braces are more stable and easier to walk and stand in but they are expensive. I would gladly give you my old set of braces if they fit and would benefit you. BUT, be sure to take care of your shoulders. They will have more work than they were designed for and will be your main means of staying active and independent. Best wishes for your continued improvement......

[Vanessamaee]

 davjed, on 17 November 2011 - 02:09 AM, said:

With your attitude and all of the recovery you've done so soon, I would encourage you to try standing in KAFOs perhaps when you get to college and a better therapy set up. You have to arch forward and keep your butt under you or wind up falling back on your butt hard which might aggravate your injury. Standing does have it's physical and psychological benefits but it's not for everyone. The newer composite "lightweight" braces are more stable and easier to walk and stand in but they are expensive. I would gladly give you my old set of braces if they fit and would benefit you. BUT, be sure to take care of your shoulders. They will have more work than they were designed for and will be your main means of staying active and independent. Best wishes for your continued improvement......

Thank You so much (: I am going to continue pushing my therapist, even though I am going to be switching to a rehab place closer to where I go to college (2 hours away) I dont want another complete injury to come into their program and be told they cant do anything. I will definatly keep in touch though and let you know how it goes (: