There are a few exercises you can do at home that will keep you tone. They target arms(biceps/triceps), shoulders, lats, legs(quads) and abs. Theses exercises can be done while sitting in your wheelchair or lying in bed using inexpensive items such as dumbells, exercises bands, and ankle/wrist weights.
BICEPS.
The most basic movement for arms is the bicep curl. There are many variations, but for our population, the seated dumbell curl is what we will do. Depending on your hand function, you can perform this with either dumbells or wrist(ankle) weights that wrap and velcro around your wrists. There are 2 ways to do these, 1st.... with your arm(s) hanging down at your side, palms facing in towards your body, curl your arm up, be sure to keep your upper arm from shoulder to elbow in a fixed position As you bring the weight up,(if possible) rotate your wrist so it ends palm up. This rotation has an affect on the bicep muscle. The 2nd way i like, if your wheelchair has armrests, simply use it as a base of support under your elbow. This will prevent any upper arm/ shoulder movement and really isolate the bicep muscle. 10 reps, 3-5 sets
TRICEPS.
The tricep is the muscle in the back of the arm. This muscle is often affected by Spinal Cord Injury. If you have function of tricep, there are a few ways we can train this muscle from a wheelchair and lying down. A few require should function, one does not. Lets look at ways from a seated position which also require shoulder movement..
1- With a dumbell or wrist wrap weights, raise your arm(s)straight overhead. Bending at the elbow, lower the weight to behind your head, then raise to full extension again. This can be done each arm individually, or both hands holding one dumbell.
2- Lying down flat on your back, raise one arm straight up towards the ceiling, lower the weight to the side of your head. Keep your elbow pointed upwards. It is basically the same as movement #1, but lying down.
The 3rd movement requires NO shoulder involvement. For this exercise you will need an exercise band. Place an exercise band either over the top of a a door or even over the back of your neck, as if u had a rolled up towel over you. With your elbow either at your side or planted on your armrest, press downwards towards the floor. Pause at full extension, then slowly release back to start. 10 reps, 3-5 sets
FOREARMS.
To perform this movement, you need to have some hand function to grip and hold a dumbell, as well as wrist control.
Place your arm(s) on your thighs with your hand extended slightly further than your knees.
With your palms facing up, roll your wrist down, then up. If you have good finger control, you can open your hand on the downside of movement and roll the dumbell so only your fingers are griping. Then roll your hand closed and then your wrist up.
This can also be done with your palms facing down. This will work the topside of the forearm. 10 reps 3-5 sets
SHOULDERS.
SIDE RAISES- This movement will work the shoulder muscle. Again, depending on your hand function, you can use dumbells or wrist (ankle) weights.
Hold the dumbbells with your palms facing in and your arms straight down at your side. This will be your starting position. Raise your arms out to the side, with just a slight bend, to just past shoulder level. Slowly return to starting position. 10 reps 3-5 sets
PRESSES- The seated dumbbell shoulder press is one of the best shoulder exercises for developing all heads of the shoulder.
Hold one dumbbell, or wrist weight, in each hand at shoulder height using a pronated grip. With the elbows pointed downward and to the sides. Press upwards towards the ceiling. Stop just short of full extension, then slowly lower to starting position. 10 reps 3-5 sets
ABDOMINALS...
CRUNCHES- Core strength is extremely important to people with spinal cord injury. Having a good strong core with not only allow us to feel good, it will aid in getting in and out of bed, sitting up, reaching, bending over to pick something off of the floor, dressing, etc. Depending on your level of injury, theses should be done daily. Start your day off with crunches before you even get out of bed.
Lying on your back, bend your knees up to approximately a 45 degree angle. You can place a bolster, exercise ball, chair, or even a pile of pillows under your legs for support.
The movement begins by curling the shoulders towards the pelvis, then back down to flat. Do this movement nice and slow. he hands can be behind or beside the neck or crossed over the chest.
DO NOT pull on your neck, simply place your hands back there.
When performing a crunch the lower back should not leave the floor.
Start with 2 sets of 25 reps..That should give you a good burn.
SEATED SIDE BENDS- This exercise I found to be very beneficial. Being in a wheelchair, we cannot always reach things and need to stretch to get to them. Without core strength, we would fall over. This movement requires you to be in your wheelchair, at a table, and you will need a towel. Depending on your ability, you may need the aid of someone in case you go to far and cannot get back to center.
Place the towel on the table. Pull your chair sideways to the table and place your closest arm on the towel.
Lean as far as you can, as if you were reaching for something across the table, then come back to center.
This can be a tough movement, so find your range to where you wont get stuck.
Spin around and work the other side as well.
This can also be done facing the table. Place both hands on towel, arms extended forward. Lean forwards, then back to sitting up. Find your range and build on it.
BACK...
LATS- The lat (Latissimus Dorsi) is a muscle of the back. Pulldowns are the most basic exercise for this muscle. To perform this exercise, you will need either an over the door pulley, or an exercise band. If a pully is used, some sort of resistance will need to be on the opposite handle. You can wrap ankle weights to the handle.
Start with your arm extended upward, palm forward. Slowly pull downward. Be sure to keep your elbows pointed out to the side. Stop when your arm is just past 90'. Slowly control the movement back up.
The further outside of the shoulder your hand is to start, the more the lat muscle is focused on. When your hand is above the shoulder, you will use more bicep muscle to pull down.
This exercise also incorporates shoulder and bicep muscles. 10 reps 3-5 sets
LOW BACK/HIPS...
BRIDGING- Bridging is great for maintaining strength in the low back. Pelvic bridging is also a great exercise that strengthens the paraspinal muscles, the quadricep muscles at the top of your thighs, the hamstring muscles in the back of the thighs, the abdominals and the gluteal muscles. This is an exercise that not many with an spinal cord injury can do. If you can, it is a great movement. If you have any movement or strength in your hip and low back areas, you should give this a try. Even the slightest movement can be built upon. You will need the aid of someone to sit on your feet and support your knees in place.
Lie flat, knees bent and feet flat on the floor about 6 inches apart.
Push your hips towards the ceiling, hold at the top for a few seconds, then slowly lower back to start.
3 sets 10-15 reps
LEGS...
Quadriceps- This exercise will strengthen the quads. The quadriceps is a large muscle group, stretching from hip to knee, which makes up the front of the thigh. You can perform this movement with nothing, or if you have strength, you can add ankle weights for resistance.
From your sitting position, extended your leg out as straight as you can, hold for 3 seconds, then slowly back to start.
10reps 3-5 sets
Having a Spinal Cord Injury wreaks havoc on our body. Able bodied people can get away with not exercising more so because at least they are moving, walking, bending, etc. We pretty much are stationary and muscle will quickly atrophy with non use. We NEED to exercise whatever functional muscles we have. If you have the hope of recovery when a cure comes along, you need to have as much muscle tone as possible.
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