Overview

If you've had a spinal cord injury, you may benefit from therapy to help improve physical function in your upper extremities — your shoulders, arms, forearms, wrists and hands.

Therapists use several techniques to restore movements that help in your daily life. These can include nerve reeducation, muscle strengthening, task training and others. Therapists work with you to reduce your long-term complications and help you regain the skills you need to perform self-care and daily activities. Upper extremity functional restoration therapies for spinal cord injuries can help you relearn to dress, feed and bathe yourself.

May 17, 2022
  1. Abrams GM, et al. Chronic complications of spinal cord injury and disease. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed March 2, 2022.
  2. AskMayoExpert. Functional electrical stimulation. Mayo Clinic; 2022. Accessed March 1, 2022.
  3. Spinal cord injury information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Spinal-Cord-Injury-Information-Page. Accessed March 2, 2022.
  4. Provider profile. CARF International. http://www.carf.org/providerProfile.aspx?cid=8020. Accessed March 1, 2022.

Upper extremity functional restoration for spinal cord injury