At Healing Touch Rehab, we specialise in providing physiotherapy to patients with spinal cord injuries. Our team of therapists and specialists collaborate to deliver treatments that aid in the recovery process and promote neural recovery. By implementing personalised exercise programs tailored to each patient’s unique needs, our goal is to assist individuals in regaining function and enhancing their quality of life following a traumatic injury. Rehabilitation plays a vital role in the journey towards recovery and independence after a spinal cord injury, optimising function, reducing disability, and addressing specific impairments caused by such trauma. Through targeted therapeutic interventions, patients can improve body control, muscle strength, and overall well-being.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries can result from trauma to the vertebrae, ligaments, or discs of the spine or directly to the spinal cord itself. The spinal cord is a complex network of nerves that traverse through the spine and play a vital role in controlling both skeletal and visceral muscles. These neural pathways are crucial for enabling individuals to move their bodies and regulate essential functions like sensation, movement, breathing, bladder control, and bowel movements.
When the spinal cord tissue is injured, messages travelling from the brain to the rest of the body are disrupted, resulting in a loss of sensation and movement below the level of injury. The functions of the body above the point of injury remain unaffected, while areas below may experience impairment. This disruption can be treated with therapeutic interventions such as physiotherapy, neural stem cell therapy, or surgical procedures aimed at reducing damage and promoting recovery. It is crucial for patients with spinal cord injuries to receive immediate care and rehabilitation services to help restore function and improve outcomes.
Causes
Spinal cord injuries are often the result of trauma to the vertebral spine, leading to paralysis, loss of function, and damage to neural tissue. These types of injuries can also be caused by various factors such as infections or diseases.
A traumatic spinal cord injury often occurs suddenly, due to a forceful impact on the spine that results in fractures, dislocations, crushes, or compressions of one or more vertebrae. This type of injury is commonly seen in cases of road traffic accidents, sports-related incidents, and falls. On the other hand, non-traumatic injuries can be caused by conditions such as arthritis, cancer, inflammation, infections, spinal cord haemorrhage, vascular malformations or disc degeneration of the spine. These conditions may lead to damage in the neural tissue of the spinal cord and ultimately result in paralysis or loss of function.
Types of Spinal Injuries
A complete spinal cord injury can result in a total loss of movement and sensory function below the level of injury. This means that both sides of the body will be equally affected, presenting significant challenges for individuals. Conversely, an incomplete injury may lead to varying degrees of movement and sensation loss below the level of trauma. In such cases, there is a possibility that one side of the body may retain more function than the other, offering some hope for recovery and rehabilitation through therapeutic treatments and care.
Treatment Approach
As a team of physiotherapists and Occupational therapists, we advocate for an interdisciplinary approach to care. We collaborate with our clients to restore physical function, address functional rehabilitation needs, provide vocational placements, and support their psycho-social well-being. This comprehensive approach ensures that all aspects of the client’s recovery journey are taken into consideration, resulting in more holistic and effective treatment outcomes.
Our expert team provides rehabilitation services for individuals recovering from spinal cord injuries, right in the comfort of their own home, community, or workplace. Following a comprehensive assessment, our specialists create a detailed report that outlines the client’s specific needs, rehabilitation goals, and recommendations for treatment plans.
Continued support and rehabilitation will be tailored to focus on enhancing the client’s ongoing progress in their recovery journey. This comprehensive approach aims to promote independence both at home and within the community, while also addressing long-term goals for a successful return to leisure activities and work.
A physical therapy treatment focuses on reducing damage, promoting recovery, and improving function through a series of exercises. In addition to traditional muscle-strengthening exercises and maintaining optimal muscle length, our specialised care includes paralysis management and muscle spasm control techniques. Patients will receive personalised support from occupational therapists who are experienced in assisting individuals with spinal cord injuries. They will learn how to effectively use assistive devices like braces or wheelchairs while undergoing therapy aimed at improving their quality of life following trauma. Our goal is not only to help patients recover physically but also to enhance their overall well-being through targeted rehabilitation services.
How does a multidisciplinary approach help individuals with spinal injuries:
- Strength and flexibility
- Balance
- Standing
- Walking practice
- Re-education of movement patterns
- Gait re-education
- Wheelchair advice
- Seating and postural advice
- Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES)
- FES Bike assessment
- Provision of orthotics and splinting
- Advice on equipment, activities and assistive technology
- Techniques for transfers (bed, shower chair, bath, toilet, car)
- Independent living skills
- Techniques for bed mobility
- Moving and Handling assessment and advice
- Hydrotherapy assessment and treatment
- Pain management
- Wheelchair advice
- Provision of orthotics
- Advice regarding equipment, activities and assistive technology
- Training of support workers and carers
FES Cycling
Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) cycling allows patients with spinal cord injuries to actively participate in arm or leg training, making it an invaluable tool for those dealing with paralysis, whether complete or incomplete. The RehaMove FES cycling program can be integrated into the daily routine of patients who have limited mobility, whether they are bed-bound or using therapy chairs. The FES movement training offered by this innovative therapy plays a crucial role in activating muscles through high-intensity exercises, promoting cardiovascular health and metabolic function. It not only enhances overall physical well-being but also aids in improving flexibility by providing passive movements to paralysed muscles. Furthermore, this therapy helps build muscle strength, leading to enhanced functional abilities and improved quality of life. The incorporation of FES cycling into a rehabilitation program can have profound effects on the recovery journey after a spinal cord injury. It’s not just about exercise; it’s about regaining control over your body and promoting neural regeneration at the cellular level.
The RehaMove sequence training mode is a therapeutic approach that offers targeted stimulation for a variety of functional movements crucial in the rehabilitation process. This innovative treatment method encompasses FES walking and gait training, sit-to-stand transitions, shoulder stabilisation exercises, and other forms of functional therapy to effectively address spinal cord injuries.
Book a treatment home, school or community visit
To make clients feel as comfortable as possible, we offer home visits or arrange treatment at one of our community clinics at William Merritt Centre, Leeds, or a similar centre or location of your choice in your local community across the North West and Yorkshire, or we could arrange to see you at a suitable space within your community.
We appreciate our clients may have mobility restrictions and will always consider how to make consultations and treatments as convenient, time optimised and pain-free as possible. Community-based rehabilitation and integration back into the community is the key to any successful rehabilitation. Besides the benefit of a familiar environment and the discipline of following treatment plans within their own setting , community-based treatment enables the client to stay motivated while involving their family and friends.