Rehabilitation
Edwin Shaw helps local student recover from broken neck
After falling off an all-terrain-vehicle, Amanda Baum of Springfield immediately realized the true severity of her accident when she found she couldn't move her arms and legs. In those few seconds, she had broken her neck and severely bruised her spinal cord.
Rushed to the Emergency Department at Akron General Medical Center, Amanda was met by Orthopaedic Surgeon Douglas Ehrler, MD. He quickly assessed the extent of her injuries and immediately scheduled her for spinal surgery.
After a week-long hospitalization at Akron General, Amanda was admitted to Edwin Shaw Hospital for Rehabilitation. "When I came to Edwin Shaw, I was miserable. I hurt. I couldn't move anything. I just sat and cried," recalls the 24-year-old. That was soon to change.
Healing through hard work...
Every year, about 11,000 Americans sustain spinal cord injuries – 18 percent of which are the result of a sport or recreational activity accidents. Most regain some function, but many have long-term or permanent disability. Rehabilitation, however, can help a great deal.
When Amanda arrived at the Edwin Shaw Spinal Cord Rehabilitation Unit, she was in a wheelchair and had limited movement in her arms and legs. Jeffrey Sanderson, MD, Amanda's physiatrist (a doctor who specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation) at Edwin Shaw, explains that her injury is known as "Central Cord Syndrome." It is typically caused by hyperextension of the cervical spine and characterized by more severe motor weaknesses in the upper limbs than lower limbs. It usually has a favorable prognosis for recovery with the earliest and greatest function returning to the lower limbs first, followed by bowel and bladder, then the upper body, and finally the hands.
Amanda's comprehensive team of physicians, therapists and nurses coordinated an individual rehabilitation plan for her including intensive physical and occupational therapies focusing on increasing her strength, endurance, flexibility, coordination, fine motor control and overall function.
"I tried to walk the first day of therapy and it wasn't pretty," recalls Amanda of her two-week stay. "By the next day, however, I was on my feet and eventually my wheelchair was put aside. The staff kept telling me I was bent but not broken and they were right."
... and humor
Attitude also plays an important part in recovery. The staff credits Amanda's positive attitude and great sense of humor as an important part of her rapid recovery. "My favorite rehab t-shirt said, 'I do my own stunts,' but apparently not very well," Amanda laughs. "That's why I ended up at Edwin Shaw." As another demonstration of her winning attitude, Amanda was first to jump at the chance to dance as part of her group activity therapy.
Having completed her outpatient therapy, Amanda says she is looking forward to returning to her studies at Kent State University where she is working towards an exercise physiology degree – something with which she now has first-hand experience.
