Reeve Foundation Paralysis Community

New Consumer Guide Released: Preservation of Upper Limb Function

 

People with spinal cord injuries and their caregivers have a new resource to help with improving the quality of their lives: Preservation of Upper Limb Function: What You Should Know, new from the Consortium for Spinal Cord Medicine.

 

Strain on the upper limbs is prevalent among wheelchair users, with the impending risk of experiencing a painful and potentially disabling injury. 

 

This expert guide offers:

• Recommendations on selecting and setting up equipment
• Exercise routines to maintain strong and healthy arms and shoulders
• Tips on arranging your environment to lessen stress on arms
• Guidance and positive tips on staying healthy

 

This consumer guide is a companion to the clinical practice guideline, Preservation of Upper Limb Function Following SCI. Published by Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) on behalf of the Consortium for Spinal Cord Medicine.

 

Download the Upper Limb consumer guide at no cost today:

http://www.pva.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=9451

 

You can access all of the Consortium's clinical practice guidelines for health-care professionals and companion consumer guides on PVA's website.  Download free of charge at http://www.pva.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pubs_main.   

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Moderator

Thanks FF, that will be helpful to read.

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T 7-8 since 2005

Yes I need to read this. My shoulders hurt and I'm only 3 years in. I've always had wrist weakness.

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I just came back from yesterday.

I had a few sessions of pt, specifically for strengthening my shoulders, so that I am less likely to damage them (further, I suspect.)   When I DO the exercises regularly, it really makes a difference.  Considering I over 50, and have had shoulder issues in the past, I need to be doing everything I can.

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T 7-8 since 2005

I know that many therapists say that a manual chair is the best for a paralyzed person as it keeps that person more active... however, I think using the hands, wrists, shoulders in a repetitive way to move is hard and likely to end up with some type of repetitive injury, especially when the same arms are also used for transfers and possibly assistive walking as well. We were not meant to walk on our hands and I think maybe studies will show that it may be best to find other ways to exercise and to use the walking aspect of a powered chair to be best. It is difficult to manipulate a manual chair up and incline or varied surfaces and somehow the perception that a person in a power chair is lazy just does not make sense. My daugher intially had no movement or strength in her hands and could barely manipulate the joystick on her power chair. Now nearly 4 years later she is much stronger and does have a manual chair, however, for school, long distances and varied surfaces I prefer that she use the motorized chair to protect her hands which she needs for so many things in life.   She does exercise regularly and the walking with a walker and braces puts a lot of strain on her hands and shoulders.... I was surprised a couple of weeks ago, when my daughter was visiting a friend in the hospital when a stranger said, you should not be lazy and use a manual chair.... I just told my daughter to ignore the statement... Patricia