Summary
1. People with SCIs can and should be active.
2. Regular exercise will help your health after SCI.
3. Include stretching, aerobic activity, and strength training in your workout routine.
4. Achieving your fitness objectives requires setting goals, anticipating obstacles, preparing, and knowing about resources.
5. With so many alternatives, you can discover the appropriate workout regimen.
Introduction
SCI patients are more prone than the general population to weight gain, lipid abnormalities, and excessive blood sugar. SCI increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Inactivity may be a major cause of these issues.
Normal daily activities aren’t enough to keep SCI patients fit. Regular exercise can help minimize post-SCI health issues.
Regular Physical Activity is Essential
1. Strengthens muscles
2 . Increases flexibility
3. . Improves mood
4. Lowers heart disease risk
5. Increases flexibility
6. Improves sleep.
7. Reduces discomfort
8. Helps attain and maintain a healthy weight9
9. Lowers cholesterol
10. Lowers blood sugar
Because of these advantages, exercise is a valuable strategy for preventing and treating many diseases.
Stretching
Stretching helps prevent and cure tight muscles and joints. Good flexibility involves stretching all main muscles. Shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles are frequent sites of stiffness following SCI. You can stretch alone or with a trainer, therapist, assistant, family member, or friend. Every day should be a stretch day. Some persons with SCI find it beneficial to stretch frequently. Begin by stretching each muscle group for 30 seconds. Continue stretching, attempting to go a little bit further. Considérer stretching before and after aerobic and strength
EXERCISE
Aerobic exercise is excellent for the heart. The “talk test” might help you assess your workout intensity. The exam is simple. You should be able to converse but not sing when undertaking a moderate activity. When undertaking a strenuous activity, you should be unable to speak for more than a few words without pausing to breathe. Aerobic exercise involves three stages:
1. Stretch and conduct a little exercise to warm up. Their sluggish heart rate increases and muscular warming.
2. Moderate or intense exercise (based on the talk test).
3. Cool down with mild activity. This reduces your heart rate.
Strength Training
Strength training can be done on the same day or not. It doesn’t count against your aerobic exercise time. Strength training should target controllable muscle groups. Depending on SCI, these muscles will vary. Plan to do each exercise 10 times (10 repetitions = 1 set). Take a rest. Rep each set 1-2 times. To get the most out of strength training, perform until you can’t complete another repeat without assistance.
Scheduling Work
Exercise regimens of at least 30 minutes are excellent. But even 10 minutes of physical activity each day can enhance your health. Spread your workouts out across the week. The more you exercise, the better your health!
Exercise Options
One of the best things about exercising is the variety. Daily routines such as walking or rolling to work might provide exercise. Exercise can be done at home, in a gym, or in the community. Workout alone or with friends.
Stretching examples:
1. Yoga
2. Stomach Lie
3. Standing frame
4. Exercise bands
Among the aerobic exercises are:
1. Hand cycling
2. Rowing
4. Swimming
5. Basketball in a chair
6. Rapid wheelchair push (if you use a wheelchair)
Examples of strength training include:
1. Weightlifting
2. Resistance banding
3. Yoga
How to begin
Set realistic objectives. But set high objectives! Keep a list of your objectives handy. Utilize your objectives to inspire and encourage.
Consider the ideal place to work out and maintain a habit. Consider your mobility, transit choices, whether you like to exercise alone or in a group, and the proximity of nearby fitness facilities. No such thing as a bad location. Concentrate on a situation that will help you succeed. A home-based fitness regimen, for example, is generally not the best option if you require other people’s support and encouragement.
Ask yourself:
1. Do I want to work out at home or at a gym? In or out?
2. Do I want to work out alone or with others?
3. What fitness equipment do I need? How do I obtain it?
4. Do I want to join a gym? If so, when and where?
5. What are my transit options?
6. Can I use the neighborhood gym? Where are the lockers and showers?
7. When is the gym open? Do these times suit me?
8. Will I get professional assistance?
9. Can I afford a workout plan?
Learn more about your local resources. Discuss your aim of regular exercise with your doctor or PT. Do they have any ideas? Talk to other SCIs in your area. Where do they go? What do they find useful? If you reside in or near a city, choose a hospital or rehab facility that works with SCI patients. They may know about area fitness and leisure activities. Consider the YMCA. Is it accessible? Does it have SCI-trained trainers? Your first few contacts may not be suitable. Keep going.
Finally, pick an exciting activity. And keep going!
Eat Well
Make the most of your workouts by eating well. Eating well may help control blood pressure and cholesterol while lowering diabetes and heart disease risk. Eating well strengthens the immune system and protects the skin. Nutritional support for exercise:
1. Breakfast
2. Eat little portions.
3. Eat 5 portions of fruits and veggies daily.
4. Eat lean protein instead of red meat.
5. Limit processed and fatty meals.
6. Snack on nutritious foods.
7. Rehydrate.
Stay Focused
Some suggestions to keep you on track:
1. Recall your objectives
2. Schedule weekly activities. Expect the unexpected.
3. Exercise at the same time every day.
4. Record your progress in a calendar or notebook.
5. Adaptability If you can’t exercise as planned, incorporate physical activity into your day in other ways.
6) Make it enjoyable. Try working out with a friend, or listening to music or audiobooks.
7. CELEBRATE SU
Be Aware of Health Issues
Fun and safe exercise But be alert for possible issues.
Skin Decay
Many SCI sufferers experience alterations or loss of sensation below the injury. For example, you may not feel a fresh cut. Exercise may increase skin pressure or friction. This may cause skin deterioration.
What to do:
1. Pay close attention to your seating or lying surface.
2. Use your wheelchair cushion on hard surfaces.
To prevent excessive friction, secure your workout surface.
4. Do 2-minute weight changes every 30 minutes.
5. Daily skin check
6. Tell your doctor if you get a red spot on your skin that doesn’t go away after exercise.
Temperature Control
Exercising with SCI may cause overheating. Sweating usually cools you down after a workout You may rapidly overheat if you don’t sweat below the injury. Even in cold weather, overheating may occur. However, exercising in the cold may not keep you warm.
What to do:
1. Hydrate before, during, and after activity.
2. Dress in layers to allow for adjustments.
3. Use a cold cloth or spray bottle to keep cool in hot weather.
4. Protect your arms, hands, feet, and legs from the cold.
Chronic Hypotension
Standing up causes a decrease in blood pressure for certain SCI patients. Orthostatic hypotension causes this. It usually occurs while moving from a lying to a sitting or standing posture. Long-term sitting or standing may cause it.
Orthostatic hypotension is more likely in those with SCI above T6. Symptoms include dizziness and nausea.
What to do:
1. If the activity requires you to sit or stand, be sure you can endure it.
2. Avoid abruptly rising or falling from a seated position.
3. Rehydrate.
4. Use compression stockings and an abdominal binder if you experience symptoms.
5. If you experience orthostatic hypotension symptoms, lie on your back with your feet raised until they disappear.
6. Consult your doctor if your symptoms make exercising difficult.
Dysautonomia
After SCI, your body may react differently to pain, discomfort, or irritation below the damage site. Even if you can’t feel below the injury, your body will find a method to alert you. One way is a sudden spike in blood pressure. Autonomic dysreflexia (AD).
Untreated AD may be fatal. SCI levels over T6 increase the risk of AD. Headache, sweating, nausea, goosebumps, and a stuffy nose are common. AD may be caused by anything that causes discomfort below the damage. Examples include a full bladder or leg bag, constipation, tight clothing, a pressure sore, a blister, an ingrown toenail, a UTI.
Reference
www.flintrehab.com
www.dovepress.com