How to Prevent Overheating with Spinal Cord Injuries
As warmer weather with temperatures above 80 approaches, some of us with spinal cord injuries need to be prepared to prevent overheating. The autonomic nervous system controls temperature regulation. As a result, those of us with T6 injuries or higher can’t sweat or regulate our internal body temperature. On a
Emily is Flying High at AcroYoga
AcroYoga can be adapted? Yep. Emily Shryock is one of those amazing people I met when I started playing wheelchair rugby. In this BardCare article, I interviewed Emily to learn more about her experience with AcroYoga. Click here to read this article.
What Freed Me from the Prison of Spasticity
After my C6-7 spinal cord injury at age 16, I experienced severe muscle spasms. My legs would extend out straight or pull in so forcefully that the Velcro® strap behind my heels would break. I would kick off my shoes when my legs involuntarily shot out straight. My hands balled
Why a Urine Culture is So Important
Fatigue. Fever. Cloudy urine. Could it be a UTI? What should I do? 2, 11 I’ll explain why a urine culture is the most important first step. UTIs are one of the most common complications with spinal cord injuries for those who intermittently catheterize.3, 11 People using a Foley or
Yes, I Traveled to Florida (But not for THAT Reason)
I did it. After several years of being restricted by a disobedient bowel program, I traveled solo for the first time after the BCIR procedure.
How and Why I Got a Professional Massage
I needed a professional massage, but I wasn’t sure how it would work with a spinal cord injury. It had been 10 long months since I’d had an occupational therapy session. And I was feeling the repercussions of it. Finally, I bit the bullet and purchased two sessions with a
How The Gift of Tendon Transfers Changed My Life
It had been 9 years since my spinal cord injury. I had just graduated with my master’s degree in counseling psychology. Although I was uncertain of my future career, I was sure of one thing: I was taking a year off to have a series of surgeries called tendon transfers.
The Gift of Tendon Transfers after Spinal Cord Injury (video)
In 1998 I had a series of surgeries called tendon transfers for people with cervical level spinal cord injuries. As a C6-7 quadriplegic, I had no use of my hands. The four surgeries gave me a pinch in each thumb, the ability to grasp with my left hand and a
My Doctor Made Me Do It
I didn’t know what to expect. But I’d heard the horror stories. The inaccessibility. The discomfort. I was past my doctor’s recommended age to have a mammogram. But my primary care doctor was relentless in her pursuit, so I made an appointment at an imaging center several miles from where
How to Get a Great Cardio Workout: Erging (Video)
Throughout the year I use an erg, or ergometer, for a great cardio workout. In this video I’ll demonstrate how I modify the erg as a wheelchair user.
Jenny Smith
After a spinal cord injury at 16, I discovered that a wheelchair could take me places I never dared to imagined.
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