How do you keep your legs so skinny?!?! #wheelchairwednesday
This is a question I've been asked a MILLION (or a little less haha!) times! Once I educate you a little on spinal cord injuries you will realize that the question isn't "How do you keep your legs so skinny?" but instead "How do you keep your legs from getting TOO skinny?"
Muscle atrophy happens any time your muscles aren't used for an extended period of time. Have you ever had to wear a cast for an extended period of time and then realized once it was removed that your arm or leg is smaller than the other one which hasn't been in the cast? That's muscle atrophy. In your circumstance, all that it takes is a little rehab and getting those muscles moving again to correct this problem.
When the muscle atrophy is due to spinal cord injury, the situation is different. In my case, I have a complete spinal cord injury at T6 and T7. As a result, my brain cannot communicate with any of my muscles below that injury spot which is about my waist area. Since that connection is severed and my brain cannot communicate, I am unable to feel or move muscles below that injury site. The result is muscle atrophy.
So what can you do?!?! If you do nothing, then your muscles atrophy and become very soft and nonexistent. But I was blessed enough to have a physical therapist way back in 1989 who was on the cutting edge of the rehabilitation for spinal cord injury patients. One of the therapies I was involved in included an Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) system. FES applies small electrical impulses to paralyzed muscles to help restore and improve their function. FES is commonly used for exercise, but also to assist with breathing, grasping, transferring, standing and walking. FES can also improve bowel and bladder function and reduce pressure sores.
So, that's kind of the technical stuff. I use the FES to exercise my leg muscles. In the process, it works my stomach and booty muscles some which is a plus for sure! I usually lay in the floor, put the cuffs on my legs and plug it into the black box that supplies the electrical stimulus. I switch it on and just hang out while the electricity works my muscles. After about 20 minutes, I am usually out of breath like I actually ran for 20 minutes!
This is my 20 year old FES system. It doesn't look like much, but I'm SO thankful for it! Also, excuse my puppies....they are always sneaking in my pictures!
The letters on the black box tell you what muscles they work. LQ (left quad) LH (left hamstring) RH (right hamstring) RQ (right quad)
This picture shows the cuffs plugged into the black box (which I'm sure has a name). I've had this FES system about 20 years now so it definitely is showing age. I've also had to get the box rewired a few times when it has stopped working. Thank goodness I have a good friend who can fix ANYTHING! One more thing I want to mention.....the level of electrical impulse isn't something you want to play around with. I had a friend once who thought he could handle the shock and let's just say....it HURT! You definitely need to NOT have feeling or sensation when using this therapy!
I'll never have a perfect body due to the sheer number of muscles I'm unable to use and my love for food....but yay! for the ability to keep my legs in shape and help my circulation also!
Unfortunately, FES doesn't work for every spinal cord injured person. Depending on the level injury or other complications, a person's muscles may not respond to the electricity. I definitely recommend that you consult a doctor or physical therapist before trying any kind of therapy. If you are interested here are some links!
http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/9670381
Don't forget, email me at limitlesslivingsuzanne@gmail.com if you have any questions about this or anything else!
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26