photo of me standing, what would you work on?

[abacoian]

http:///forum/attachment.php?attachm...1&d=1369625132

My wife helped me stand yesterday and took this picture. I felt good but nervous. But standing like this, what would be some good things to work on? Thank you

[rlmtrhmiles]

Try to alter position of upper body weight, you head. Rotate side-to-side or lean head side-to-side. This will alter position of body weight from vertical centerline of body keeping you balanced. Another thing, try doing it with eyes closed. From picture, it appears your eyes are sending a lo of information to brain to do this. That probably creates the scared sensation. I have done what you are doing and yes scared to death. Still may take some "guts" to try with eyes closed.

[SCI-Nurse]

Also, it looks like your hips are just slightly flexed. Can you get your hips more into extension than this?? If not, you may be a little tight in your hips from sitting all the time. Spend some time prone (laying on your stomach) to stretch and avoid a flexion contracture. It only takes 10 degrees of flexion contracture to prevent ambulation (walking).

(KLD)

[TheRainman]

If you build up your upper body more it will give you more confidence when you stand up.

[abacoian]

Hi guys,
these are all great ideas that I think will help me! When your talking about being on your feet and balancing, when I'm not standing, is there anything that I could do in my chair and in bed that will benefit me when I do stand, and also when I do sit? Thank you again guys

[nonoise]

Hi guys,
these are all great ideas that I think will help me! When your talking about being on your feet and balancing, when I'm not standing, is there anything that I could do in my chair and in bed that will benefit me when I do stand, and also when I do sit? Thank you again guys

KLD said to lie on your stomach. My question to you is are you safe standing? Should you have a lanyard or something? And I gotta tell you, you look good to me, I can't get that straight in my standing frame. Contraction started really quick for me.

[roc21]

put your feet even, if your hips are really tight i think uneven feet will make hips uneven. Head back and up , your shoulders are practically out over your toes. But good starting place to work from.. I built my own standing frame and stand and do squats everyday, if you can stand, which you are, maybe you can do the same. if your interested, ill post pictures to see how i built it.

[Patrick Madsen]

Number 1 thing to do is get a full length mirror so you can actually see how you are standing. The brain plays funny jokes on us. While we may think our form and function is right on, a mirror will tell us the truth.

I would work more on keeping the head up and squeezing between the shoulder blades. This would make you stand straighter, with shoulders back.

A f/l mirror would really help with you posture. It's all about form and function. When the body is in good form, the function is maximized

[Snowman]

Two mirrors would be best, one on the side and one in front. Agree with what everyone else has said re: shoulders/head back, hips pulled through..

[IsMaisin]

If you want to work on your upper body and core strength, try some of these exercises with a spotter. It looks like your bar is nice and sturdy, you could even drill a few more hoes for different heights.

As a C2, some of these will definitely be beyond you. I'm just throwing them in here in case someone else is being helped by your thread.

If you don't feel that your hand grip is secure enough, use a hand hook brace to make sure you don't slip.

I don't know your abilities, so don't try any of these that will make you unsteady. If possible, talk to your PT first. These are simply modifications of some fairly standard exercises.

Pull ups, both hands facing in and hands facing out. Ideal height for the bar is 1"-3" below the full extension of your arms from a seated position. Make sure you have a backrest and a sturdy chair. Do not do anything that causes pain, only go for a mild stretch.

Modified push ups. Stand fully upright with your hands at shoulder with and your elbows even with the back of your shoulder blades. Using your arms, pull in and push out. Try not to let gravity do the work. As this becomes easier, move your feet backwards so your feet are at a slight incline. Best to have a nice thick cushion just in front of your feet just in case you need to drop to your knees.

Torso twists. Stand with your back braced agains one of the posts and a spotter just less than arms length at a 45˚ angle off your left side. Using a rubber resistance band tied to the other post, hold your arms fully extended to your sides with the band in your right hand. Twist from the waist to your left. Do not twist past 90˚, past the point of balance, or past the point of pain. Switch posts and setup and do it reversed with the band in your left hand.

Modified sit up. With the bar at hip height, bend forwards over the bar and then straiten. hold onto the bar for security, but use your core muscles not your arms. Your spotter should be in front of you facing you. You may to be touching the bar, or you may find it more comfortable to be a few inches back. Do not move so far back that the bar will touch anywhere above the nipples. Use the cushion and be ready with your arms to support a push away to protect your chin or neck from hitting the bar if you collapse.

If you have any control below the waist, you might try small dips with the bar in an overhead position and using leg muscles to lower and raise. Small dips. An inch or two. Be ready to use your arms to prevent a collapse.

[jorge m.]

when you are laying on your bed, laying on your back, bend your legs and feet planted flat on the bed, lift your butt off the bed. That is a nice little workout on your butt and hamstrings..

[rlmtrhmiles]

Whatever you do, try not make giant progress. Be extremely careful in how much and length of time you start using upper body "in place of" what you lower body should be doing. It is extremely easy to get "addicted" to something like this and really not be aware of it. The longer you end up using upper body in place of lower, the harder it is to reverse I did that for YEARS. Ended up working a top down approach piece-by-piece that does seem to be putting things back together.

[abacoian]

hi guys, a lot of wisdom to go through and I thank you, I am so thankful for this forum. I am working on pushing to at least reach my potential, it's a difficult thing when you have limited help i'm sure some of you know. I am a c2 incomplete reliant on a power chair. I've made some gains from being completely paralyzed. Started driving 3 years ago, love it. I know for sure that it will not be easy but I haven't even come near the potential that I have. In this photo I needed help standing from my chair, standing there I was kind of between a little comfortable and a little scary. But just the fact that I can do that is why I need to push for more. I remember when I first got that bar and my wife helping me do squats a few days a week, I got to where she barely held my arm for me to stand. And then life brings responsibilities that pulls me away from practicing and I lose what I gain. But I know it's there. Being able to stand on my own will be great and worth every minute of trying, and if that's all I can do I would have no problem with that. But there is my problem, I know I can do more, be better, reach higher, not be disappointed because my potential went to waste. So I'm aiming to ask / figure out what the fundamental building blocks of my abilities are and push hard to break through and change the way my injury has dictated my life. I hope to be getting a up n free gait trainer soon that will allow me to be in my chair less and on my feet more. I know that is not the all in all answer but I think it's an important piece of the puzzle for me. I have a friend that honestly believes in my potential and is planning to help me pursue. I appreciate you guys willing to share your knowledge and ideas. The most discouraging factor is that it's not 2 or 3 exercises that I need to focus on, but there are many things that add up in time. I work four days a week 8 hours each but I look at the other 3 as max potential and figure out what I can add into my work days as well. But I think I need to get a notebook and put a solid plan on paper and adapt it when needed. Sorry for going deep guys but I know I can really do this and I know you can too.

[Snowman]

But I think I need to get a notebook and put a solid plan on paper and adapt it when needed.

Exactly!

[alhavel]

Try to work out, while you work, do things that are-were not possible a few weeks ago and expand on them. The best excersise is motivated by just doing what was natural.I have no feeling below the neck, my balance is in the eyes, not the feet. Friends now play with me, I've got a sick sense of humor, and will throw things in the air and wave grids, like plaid shirts on me to watch me fall. Honestly I get a kick out of it, because they know what I am doing is defying the realm of possible and I'll get a good laugh out of falling and cursing at them.

Everything you want to do, should become your workout. Take every opportunity and build on it.