7 things to try if you have a Spinal Injury
1 – Exercise.
Exercise has an endless list of benefits that you can exploit. We’d suggest that you start simple, be it general cardio or rehab exercises that you picked up from a physio along the line, or a structured program. Starting simply allows you to work out how best to do things, and allows you to increase the difficulty over time. Try to build your exercise into your daily routine… This brings us to our next tip.
3 – Talk to other people with spinal injuries.
Talking to others about your injury, the things you have in common, and your own top tips may be more useful than you think! You never know what you might learn. Just be aware that not all information you’ll hear about spinal injuries is true! For example, it’s not true that recovery stops 12 months after injury – A common ‘fact’ that is thrown around.
5 –Always (Nearly always) try the things you think you can’t do.
Talking to others about your injury, the things you have in common, and your own top tips may be more useful than you think! You never know what you might learn. Just be aware that not all information you’ll hear about spinal injuries is true! For example, it’s not true that recovery stops 12 months after injury – A common ‘fact’ that is thrown around.
2 – Build a daily routine.
You may already be working on this, and it’s especially useful in the early days after injury, but building a routine that includes Bladder and Bowel programs, social occasions, exercise, and mealtimes can significantly improve your quality of life. The more regular your routine, the easier things become.
4 – Set goals
Like many things, goals are important. Set realistic short-term goals that are achievable. Spinal injury recovery is often about taking lots of small steps, not big strides. Have long term goals in mind too, although keep in mind that a healthcare professional may be helpful in deciding what your long-term goals could be.
6 – Don’t rush to get a fixed wheelchair
These last two are for wheelchair users! Whilst this isn’t normally a priority, it’s still worth mentioning. Keep in mind that in the first couple of years after injury, a lot of things may change. You may recover a lot of function or change the way you do things. Getting a fixed, made-to-measure, chair too early will probably end up with you needing a new one pretty soon! We’d recommend getting a chair that is highly adaptable, that can be altered to suit you as you progress and get stronger.
7 – Stand!
(Insert Nike slogan here). It’s good for rehab, bone density, blood pressure and a whole host of other things. Aim to stand at least once a day, again built into a routine to avoid skipping it!
If you’d like to chat to us about how we can help you, get in touch today.
Ben Smith – Joint Potential.