living with a spinal cord injury

Read more about the article 3D Printing Wheelchair Accessories

3D Printing Wheelchair Accessories

The ability to 3D print more or less anything we can imagine is one of the biggest paradigm shifts in our generation!.. In a way it allows things to be transported through time and space and transform from a concept to a tangible object in a relatively short period of time. Here are some cool wheelchair accessories that can be 3D printed that might make your life as a wheelchair user a bit easier. Here are some cool things I found on Thingiverse, a global network of non-,monetized devices and prototypes. You can download the files free of charge and print them yourself, or get a local 3D printing business to do it for you.…

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Read more about the article Good Habits for Long-Term Health with a Spinal Cord Injury

Good Habits for Long-Term Health with a Spinal Cord Injury

Please Note: This post may contain affiliate links. If you chose to purchase something through one of the links, I may get a small commission, without any cost to you. Read the full disclosure here. Fresh after injury, all the new things to remember, and habits to build, can be exhausting and daunting. However, building strong habits is paramount. Unfortunately, small problems can quickly turn into life threatening situations. Being proactive and taking preventative measures against secondary complications is essential to long term health. It may seem like a million things to remember and plan for in the beginning. It also may be physically and mentally exhausting as well. Some days it literally feels like…

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Read more about the article Interesting Facts About Spinal Cord Injuries

Interesting Facts About Spinal Cord Injuries

The spinal cord is something you never really notice or think out until there is an abnormality or damage. Yet it is the part of the body that is responsible for controlling all of your conscious and unconscious bodily functions. It is the superhighway that connects the brain to the body and allows you to control your muscular and skeletal system. To put it plainly: it is the electrical wiring that allows you to pilot your meat suit through the world. Many people (myself included prior to my injury) take the spinal cord a bit for granted. To quote age old wisdom from Futurama: "when you do things right, people won't be sure you've done…

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Read more about the article Minor Annoyances of Wheelchair Life

Minor Annoyances of Wheelchair Life

Wheelie life comes with its own list of challenges.. Here's my compilation of annoying things I have encountered over the last couple of years.. 1. Forgetting to put on shoes before leaving the house.. Or having a shoe fall off when you transfer or go over a bump.. The lesson learned here is that if shoes 'slip-on' they will slip-off just as easy. 2. Dropping stuff on the floor.. Bonus points when things fall into the wheelchair rim and then just spin around when you try to get it out. 3. Not turning off the light before getting into bed and having to spend 10 minutes getting back up to turn them off. This is…

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Read more about the article Secondary Complications of Spinal Cord Injuries

Secondary Complications of Spinal Cord Injuries

A spinal cord injury is more than using a wheelchair. Paralysis, and the inability to walk are the primary and most obvious complications after a spinal cord injury. However, most days not walking is the least of my worries. Unfortunately, there are many secondary conditions that need to be considered as well. Severity and level of injury will affect the number of complications. As will factors such as age, weight, diet and immune function. Unfortunately, secondary complications after a SCI are generally a matter of when, not if. Simple things can potentially become life threatening. It can take longer to diagnose many problems if your body isn't able to tell you something is wrong, and…

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Read more about the article Positive Things About Wheelie Life

Positive Things About Wheelie Life

People assume that having to use a wheelchair is the worst thing ever. It definitely comes with its inconveniences, but there are some perks that come along with it as well. First and foremost, people need to realize that a wheelchair is not an inherently bad thing. In fact it is the opposite. A wheelchair is FREEDOM and allows me to get out and explore the world. This is an important distinction a lot of people miss. So I just want to set the record straight. Yes, spinal cord injuries suck. Paralysis sucks. Neurological conditions suck. Chronic health issues suck. Overpriced medical equipment sucks. But my wheelchair is awesome. Here's my rundown on some positive…

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Read more about the article Staying Cool in a Wheelchair: Tips for Beating the Heat

Staying Cool in a Wheelchair: Tips for Beating the Heat

Please Note: This post may contain affiliate links. If you chose to purchase something through one of the links, I may get a small commission, without any cost to you. Read the full disclosure here. Atypical temperature regulation is one of the secondary complications of a spinal cord injury. The spinal cord is responsible for regulating body temperature through the nervous system. Normally, when the body becomes too warm it triggers blood vessels to dilate, and sweat glands to release fluids to cool down the body. Damage to the spinal cord can interrupt this process. After injury the body's temperature regulation is thrown off and many people no longer sweat, or sweat way less. This…

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Read more about the article 30 of The Best Accessories, Tools and Gadgets for Wheelchair Users

30 of The Best Accessories, Tools and Gadgets for Wheelchair Users

Please Note: This post may contain affiliate links. If you chose to purchase something through one of the links, I may get a small commission, without any cost to you. Read the full disclosure here. Wheelchair life is by no means easy, but I hope that these things can help out a bit! Here's a list of few things that were really useful to me after my injury and things that I use every day to make things easier. Hopefully they will be helpful to you or a loved one as well! 1. Cup Holders : You can find clamp on cup holders online, or at some dollar stores as well. These attach on to…

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Read more about the article Alleviating Neuropathy: Nerve Pain Remedies After a Spinal Cord Injury

Alleviating Neuropathy: Nerve Pain Remedies After a Spinal Cord Injury

Please Note: This post may contain affiliate links. If you chose to purchase something through one of the links, I may get a small commission, without any cost to you. Read the full disclosure here. Most people assume that the worst part of living with a spinal cord injury is using a wheelchair. While a wheelchair may be more physically obvious, nerve pain is a seemingly invisible menace. While everyone has a different experience and there is a varying degree of secondary complications from person to person. The worst part for me is living with constant nerve pain or neuropathy due to nerve damage from my level of injury and below. The pain becomes background…

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