Rehab Exercises: For Spinal Cord Injury Patients

Rehab
Exercises
FOR SPINAL CORD
INJURY PATIENTS
Recovery is a journey full of hard work,
persistence, and positivity. If you’re
a spinal cord injury survivor looking to
improve mobility and strength,
these exercises were designed to help.
But remember, always check with
your therapist before beginning new
exercises, and ask a caregiver to help
if you're having trouble—all movement
helps! Flint Rehab is here to support
and guide you during your recovery.
So let's dig in.
pg 4 ARM & SHOULDER EXERCISES
Barbara Brewer, COTA
pg 9 HAND EXERCISES
Barbara Brewer, COTA
Arm & Shoulder Exercises
Barbara Brewer, COTA, is a rehabilitation guru, having practiced
occupational therapy for over 30 years. She believes in a holistic
approach to recovery. Barabara recommends the following five exercises
to help gain back coordination after a spinal cord injury.
1 STRAIGHT
PUSH
Place a water bottle on the table

away from you at arm’s length.
Interlace your fingers and rest
your hand and forearm on the table.
Stretch and reach your arm across
the table to tap the water bottle.
If you can, try pushing the bottle a

little farther away from you. Then
pull your arms back down in front
of you and rest your shoulders
down. Put the same attention and
focus into pulling your arms back
in as you do pushing them out.
4
2 PUSHING
MOVEMENT
Place a water bottle on the left

side of the table within your
range of motion.
Hook your wrist on the

outside of the bottle and use
your arm to push the
bottle across the table.
Perform the same movement

to push the bottle back.
5
3 WEIGHTED
BICEP CURL
Hold a water bottle in your hand

and hang your arm down
by your side. While keeping your
elbow glued to your side, bring
the bottle up to your shoulder.
Bring it back down just as

slowly. You are working your
tricep when you bring your
arm down, and your bicep
when you bring it up.
Repeat with the other arm.
6
4 OPEN ARM
MOVEMENT
Sit comfortably and hold a water

bottle in one hand. If it’s
too heavy, try the exercise with
no weight and work up from there.
Keep your elbows glued to your

sides at all times during this exercise.
With your arms bent at 90 degrees,
open your arms up so that your
forearms come out to your sides.
Really focus on squeezing your

shoulder blades together
when your arms are opened up
the widest. Then, move your
arms back to center. Switch the
water bottle over to the other
hand, and open your arms again.
7
5 SIDE ARM
RAISE
While sitting on the edge of

your bed or couch, hold a
water bottle and place your
arm out to your side.
Lift the water bottle up while

keeping your arm straight. Make
sure that the entire movement
is happening in your arm.
Try not to let your shoulder hike up.

Then, repeat with the other arm.
8
Hand Exercises
Barbara Brewer understands the frustration survivors of SCI
with decreased hand function can feel during recovery. Barbara
recommends five simple exercises to help gain back dexterity.
1 PALM
UP AND DOWN
Place your hand on a table top

with your palm facing up.
Use your other hand to help
flip your palm down.
Repeat back and forth.

Palm up, palm down.
9
2 WRIST BEND
MOVEMENT
While keeping your elbow on

the table, use one hand to
stretch the other hand at the
hand at the wrist.
Stretch backward.
Then stretch forward.
Slowly repeat the movement.

Then, switch to the other wrist.
10
3 GRIP AND
RELEASE
Place a pen to the side of

the table and then grip it with
your fingers.
Slide the pen across the table

and release. Make sure you grip
the pen gently, using as little
force as necessary to move it.
Repeat back and forth

across the table.
11
4 PEN
SPIN
Place the pen on the table and use

your thumb and fingers to spin it.
Try not to use your shoulder during
this movement.
You want to isolate your

thumb and fingers. Aim for speed
during this exercise.
Spin the pen as fast as you

can for 15 seconds.
12
5 FINGER
CURL
Bend your arm and place your

elbow on the table.
Make little “O’s” with your fingers

by bringing the tip of your index
finger to the tip of your thumb.
Pinch, and release.
Repeat with your middle,

ring, and pinkie finger.
Pinch, and release.
13
Those are all the exercises!
Want to improve mobility
even faster?
FitMi Home Therapy Program can help. FitMi harnesses the
power of neuroplasticity and repetition to improve your mobility.
The more you practice, the more your central nervous system
has the stimulation it needs to create new neural pathways.
“My husband had a spinal infarction in November.

Believe me when I say it was touch and go for
months. After extensive medical care and in
hospital rehabilitation he was able to come home
8 weeks ago. He is paralyzed on left side and has
all the spinal ailments that come with spinal cord
accidents and also all the ailments that come
with stroke patients. FitMi AND the musicglove
are life savers. Not only is he regaining movement
but it gives him purpose. He gets up at 7 am
every morning and works with the pucks and the
gloves until noon. We are seeing improvement.
It’s slow but it IS improvements. Thank you!!”
—
Rockey
Start your home therapy with FitMi today! Click Here to Learn More
For more information, please visit
FlintRehab.com

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Rehab

Place a water bottle on the table

If you can, try pushing the bottle a

Place a water bottle on the left

Hook your wrist on the

Perform the same movement

Hold a water bottle in your hand

Bring it back down just as

Repeat with the other arm.

Sit comfortably and hold a water

Keep your elbows glued to your

Really focus on squeezing your

While sitting on the edge of

Lift the water bottle up while

Try not to let your shoulder hike up.

Place your hand on a table top

Repeat back and forth.

While keeping your elbow on

Slowly repeat the movement.

Place a pen to the side of

Slide the pen across the table

Repeat back and forth

Place the pen on the table and use

You want to isolate your

Spin the pen as fast as you

Bend your arm and place your

Make little “O’s” with your fingers

Repeat with your middle,

“My husband had a spinal infarction in November.

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