Your spinal cord is part of your central nervous system and carries messages from your brain to all the different parts of your body, controlling almost every one of your bodily functions. An injury to your spinal cord causes partial or complete loss of function and mobility below the point where the cord is damaged. Physical therapy is part of the rehabilitation for all injuries of this type, and will be tailored to your specific needs.
Step 1
Undergo a full rehabilitation program. The rehabilitation process refers to the all the activities undertaken to help you manage your condition. It usually includes a combination of psychological counseling, dietary advice, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy to help manage day-to-day tasks, and physiotherapy to help improve mobility. If physiotherapy is not done, your joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons will stiffen. Exercises will be tailored to your specific needs -- and you are likely to need assistance to perform many of them -- but some are commonly prescribed.
Step 2
Work your feet and lower legs. While you are lying on your back with both legs straight, your physiotherapist will press one of your feet against the inside of their forearm and position their other hand on the shin of your same leg. Pulling down on your heel, they will then press your foot forwards so the top of it moves towards your knee. This exercise will be repeated on the other leg.
Step 3
Stretch your legs. Lie on your back with your legs relaxed straight out along the bed. Your physio will position themselves between your legs, bending over to position the heel of one leg on their shoulder. Placing one hand on the leg that is still straight along the bed, to stabilize it, they will then straighten their back to lift your elevated leg further, and stretch the hamstring muscles in the back of your thigh. The stretch should be held for about 10 seconds and repeated on the other leg.
Step 4
Work your hips and torso. For this double-leg rotation exercise, your physio will position you on your back and bend both of your legs so your thighs are perpendicular to the bed and your lower legs are parallel to it. Holding on to your knees, they will then gently move both legs to one side then the other, holding for 10 seconds at the furthest point of the rotation.
