quad stomach and self respect

[Tim C.]

I manage to go 41yrs with an almost 6 pack, my SCI changed it to a sack of potatoes within short order.
I get that I will not be admiring my profile in any storefront windows anytime soon, But was just wondering if anybody has had any luck trying those slimming abdominal garments I see advertised for the postpartum types? struggling through middle-age I sure could use a non-surgical kind of ?tummy tuck? As dieting only yields skin breakdown

[vjls]

I know what you mean I was 50 slim no tummy size 3 or 5 depending on cut of jeans now...… and I wt 14 lbs more than I did

[Bonnette]

I've seen something called coolsculpting advertised on TV, it's non-invasive but it looks to me like it could cause skin breakdown anyway, since it involves freezing the fatty tissue. I have a potato sack belly now, too, SCI really changes your body composition and proportions. The slimming garments seen on TV might be worth trying, as long as they don't impair circulation.

[dpatrick]

Yeah, we call it quad gut,haha,..
I’d definatly be interested in feed back on this one..
when I was in rehab,30+ yrs ago,they started us wearing the abdominal binders,they said it helps to put some pressure on the diaphragm,helping us quads breath better,,it also helps a lil to keep in stomach muscles..I’ve used them since,put on every morn..
i use one made by Tartan.,,it’s a 3 panel 10” wide one,,no metal stays.
good luck.

[stephen212]

"Treating" quad- para-belly is an "outside job." Sure, some will have put in some pounds but even if on the perfect diet and a total gym rat, if your core muscles are paralyzed they will, eventually, start to sag. Electric stim (e.g. FES) devices will not remedy Buddha belly even if they deliver powerful contractions while using them. When the device is turned off, you gut will return to its sagging state. Thus the "outside job" remedy is wearing a binder that works for you. Another helpful remedy is complete mirror avoidance.

[vjls]

Yeah, we call it quad gut,haha,..
I’d definatly be interested in feed back on this one..
when I was in rehab,30+ yrs ago,they started us wearing the abdominal binders,they said it helps to put some pressure on the diaphragm,helping us quads breath better,,it also helps a lil to keep in stomach muscles..I’ve used them since,put on every morn..
i use one made by Tartan.,,it’s a 3 panel 10” wide one,,no metal stays.
good luck.

can you put it on and off y yourself do u worry about riding up in back or sores

[SCI-Nurse]

A good quality 3 panel abdominal binder will help both maintain your blood pressure and aid in breathing when up in your chair, and help to manage that "quad belly". If you are very short, you may get by with a 2 panel, but most adults need a 3 panel.

I like the ones made by Dale, as they are latex free, don't tend to ride up, and can handle being cut to accommodate ostomy appliances. Avoid having the binder go over your rib cage in the front though.

https://www.dalemed.com/product/abdominal-binder/

Generally, you will need assistance to apply an abdominal binder properly, unless you have very strong hands.

(KLD)

[landrover]

Yeah, we call it quad gut,haha,..
I’d definatly be interested in feed back on this one..
when I was in rehab,30+ yrs ago,they started us wearing the abdominal binders,they said it helps to put some pressure on the diaphragm,helping us quads breath better,,it also helps a lil to keep in stomach muscles..I’ve used them since,put on every morn..
i use one made by Tartan.,,it’s a 3 panel 10” wide one,,no metal stays.
good luck.

I’m curious, since you’ve continued to wear your binder since your rehab days, do you still have the “quad gut”? The reason I ask is that I wore one for several years post injury, and had no gut to speak of. For whatever reason I stopped wearing it, and haven’t for about 20 years, and well, now I have an unappealing gut. I often regret that decision, but not sure if it would have made a difference over time.

[mrb]

Diet,FES bike and TENS machine worked for me, before and after 18 months of dieting.C3 complete and only exercise I can do is my FES bike burning about 50 cals a ride.

[Bonnette]

Wow, mrb, you look great!

[fuentejps]

u stud mrb, looking great.
i dropped 50lbs last year and the gut definitely shrinks, if i get backed up it will puff up but losing lbs does help big time. fine line though, i was losing butt meat after 25 lbs lost. IF really was a great lifestyle change for me, it gets that fat around your organs too.

[mrb]

FES bike has helped keep my butt with some meat but there is a fine line. Reducing bloating helps a lot I stopped eating bread and switched to lacto free milk. We measure my waist 2 or 3 times a day and most days there is less than 1cm difference morning to night. Reducing bloating really helps how you look.

[Tim C.]

"Treating" quad- para-belly is an "outside job." Sure, some will have put in some pounds but even if on the perfect diet and a total gym rat, if your core muscles are paralyzed they will, eventually, start to sag. Electric stim (e.g. FES) devices will not remedy Buddha belly even if they deliver powerful contractions while using them. When the device is turned off, you gut will return to its sagging state. Thus the "outside job" remedy is wearing a binder that works for you. Another helpful remedy is complete mirror avoidance.

THANKS STEVE,
never do you disappoint when it comes to helpful insight, but a buddha belly?
gee I didn't think it possible to feel worse than I did before I read this, yet here I am. MIRRORS? , now I won't even go near rain puddles
Keep you posted after my planking sessions.

[Tim C.]

FES bike has helped keep my butt with some meat but there is a fine line. Reducing bloating helps a lot I stopped eating bread and switched to lacto free milk. We measure my waist 2 or 3 times a day and most days there is less than 1cm difference morning to night. Reducing bloating really helps how you look.

MRB,
congrats, you did one hell of a job.
good on that.
were you ;lactose-intolerent or something?

[Tim C.]

Yeah, we call it quad gut,haha,..
I?d definatly be interested in feed back on this one..
when I was in rehab,30+ yrs ago,they started us wearing the abdominal binders,they said it helps to put some pressure on the diaphragm,helping us quads breath better,,it also helps a lil to keep in stomach muscles..I?ve used them since,put on every morn..
i use one made by Tartan.,,it?s a 3 panel 10? wide one,,no metal stays.
good luck.

YES, I got that binder thing too, helped a bit till I got an SP. then the binder would ride up and interfere.