The Importance of Movement
Movement is important for people with quadriplegia, or spinal cord injuries (SCIs), because it can help prevent complications and improve quality of life. It can help prevent pressure sores, leg swelling, edema, infections like pneumonia, constipation, and urinary tract infections. Movement can also limit muscular atrophy from inactivity.
In addition, it helps improve energy levels, strengthen muscles, increase flexibility, improve mood, improve sleep, decrease pain, help achieve and maintain a healthy weight, improve cholesterol, and improve blood sugar. This movement can also decrease the risk of heart disease.
Without movement your joints can become tight. Your movement may be limited because of this tightness. An increase in resistance to stretching can make matters worse. If tightness develops, your activities of daily living can become more difficult than they already are.
Exercise
Some recommend that people with SCIs perform at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise per week to achieve health benefits. Others recommend moderate to vigorous intensity aerobic exercise at least 20 minutes twice per week and strength training at least twice per week.
When doing range of motion exercises, it’s important to:
- Loosen joints before starting activities
- Do each movement slowly and gently five times
- Hold for five seconds at the end of range to stretch muscles
- Avoid forceful, jerky moves that can damage joints and muscles
- Support each joint as you move it through its normal path
Resources
Working with MYOLYN
Early in his recovery, Logan became a MyoCycle user and continues to this day. FES stands for Functional Electrical Stimulation. FES bikes allow people with little or no voluntary leg movement to pedal a stationary leg-cycle called an ergometer. Computer generated, low-level electrical pulses are transmitted through surface electrodes to the leg muscles. This causes coordinated contractions and the pedaling motion.
This form of therapy doesn’t work for everyone but in Logan’s case, it did. He is now a spokesperson for MYOLYN.
Home Workouts
Logan’s day never ends without having put in time strengthening his body and reaching for his goals. When you can’t get to a gym, workout at home. There are no excuses! Logan has created a few TikTok videos to show others how it’s done.
“I may never be the Navy Seal I always dreamed of being , but I can still keep the Seal mentality. All in, all the time. “
Logan Smith
You’re not Alone
Because of his accident and the events that followed, Logan realized that he had a natural desire to lead and to push individuals to be the best that they can be. Reach out to him.