Clinical Programs & Services News

GAINING GROUND

Specialized “Boot Camp” Improves Function

The Gaining Ground program at Magee Rehabilitation goes beyond traditional physical and cognitive therapy, emphasizing exercise and wellness.

“I love how it pushed me out of my comfort zone,” said Nicole, a personal trainer who injured her thoracic spine at T2 in an August 2018 car accident, leaving her with sensation but loss of motor function. She also suffered broken ribs and a collapsed lung. After undergoing two spinal surgeries and intense respiratory therapy, she came to Gaining Ground about seven months after her injury.

“Recovery following a neurological injury is a long slow process and does not follow a set time frame. Recovery is about more than just walking; it is about regaining function and improving overall quality of life,” Elizabeth Watson, PT, DPT, NCS, clinical supervisor of Magee’s Locomotor Training Clinic, writes in an article in the March 2020 issue of Rehab Management magazine.

About the Program

Gaining Ground helps clients achieve their goals through an intensive, individualized exercise program that is tailored to their abilities. The “boot camp” approach includes four hours of exercise, three days a week for four to six weeks.

Benefits Include:

• Incr eased central nervous system activity, muscle mass, bowel and bladder sensation, and function below level of injury • Impr oved posture, trunk control, health, and well-being • Decr eased pain and medication use • Emotional and social connections with peers in a supportive g roup environment The program involves both one-on-one work and group sessions. It also incorporates sophisticated therapeutic technologies. For example, Nicole used an exoskeleton and a task-specific functional electrical stimulation (FES) system to work on posture and standing during therapy. She also used robotic body-weight support on a treadmill three times a week. Working with an activity-based therapy specialist, Nicole learned what she could do independently to continue to challenge herself after the program.

For More Information

Gaining Ground sessions are held throughout the year. For rates and other information, email Elizabeth.Watson3@jefferson.edu or call 215-218-3913.