Therapy That Works

I’ve been going to therapy since I was nine days old. No, you did not misread that.  Nine. Days. Old.  For this reason, I consider myself a professional patient :) and without these therapists I wouldn’t be where I am today. I am eternally grateful to them. 

Below I have included an overview of different forms of therapy, in the order that I began them, that have been really beneficial to me:

Occupational Therapy: I had occupational therapy from nine days old until the age of fourteen.  At first, I received therapy at my house.  Eventually I received it in school as part of a 504 Plan¹.  My mom fought tooth and nail to get these services.  She had to justify why occupational therapy was necessary for me to receive and, because I write with my other hand, it was often difficult to make this justification because it had to affect your progress in school.

• Occupational therapy helps with daily living activities, including fine motor activities, such as writing, buttoning, zippering, etc. 

Physical Therapy (Structural and Functional): I began physical therapy at the age of two in Connecticut. My parents drove me up to Hartford at Regional Physical Therapy because it had been recommended by my occupational therapist at the time.  At the age of six, I met a physical therapist named Steve Moran, at another one of Regional Physical Therapy’s offices, who I still visit to this day at Crossroads Physical Therapy in Columbia, Connecticut.  (He opened his own office soon after I met him.)

• This type of physical therapy is actually considered manual physical therapy, which means that the therapists use techniques, such as craniosacral therapy, myofascial release, joint mobilization, and others.

Aquatic Physical Therapy: I began aquatic physical therapy at six years old at Hope Physical and Aquatic Therapy in Plainview, New York.  My parents had been searching for a physical therapist that was nearer to our home and thought that aquatic therapy would be really beneficial.

• Aquatic therapy is great because the water makes exercises easier to do and more fluid. Additionally, having an injury to your arm affects your ability to swim, so this type of exercise is essential.

Physical Therapy (Traditional): After about seven or eight years of aquatic physical therapy, my neurologist suggested that I start traditional physical therapy to gain more muscle strength and range of motion.  I received this type of therapy up until a few years ago and only go if I’m having severe pain.

• This type of therapy involves electric stimulation, massage, light weightlifting, stretching, and machine exercises.

Massage Therapy: As I’ve gotten older, I’ve had many stiff necks and pain in both shoulders, which are definitely related to my injury.  These things especially spring up when I've been reading for an extended period of time or I am stressed at work. Three years ago, I had a stiff neck for the whole summer and sought out massage therapy.  I found an amazing woman named Sharon Klein in Bellmore, New York and since seeing her, I have had significantly less pain. 

• Sharon does therapeutic deep tissue massage with acupressure and cervical traction.  

¹504 Plan: Accommodations made for children in primary and secondary who have disabilities that affect their function in school.

Nate Gagnon: A CrossFitter with True Strength

There are certain people who will persevere through anything to become great athletes. Nathan Gagnon is one of them. 

While researching Erb's Palsy and CrossFit, I came upon Nate’s profile on the official CrossFit website.  It was clear that he had competed in the CrossFit Open and had done exceptionally well.  As a "CrossFitter" myself, I was impressed that someone with the same injury would be able to complete workouts at the prescribed weight (Rx)¹.  Soon after, I got in touch him and learned more about his life with Erb's Palsy and his experience with CrossFit as a member of Reebok CrossFit Back Bay in Boston, MA.  His story is a great one.  It has inspired me and I’m sure it will do the same for you.

You can follow Nate on Instagram @kairosnate or add him on Facebook to see more of his awesome photos and videos.

Q & A

Have you had Erb's Palsy since birth? How is your arm affected?

I have had Erb's Palsy since birth. At birth, my right arm was completely paralyzed but I eventually regained movement with limited mobility. I can't full extend my arm, have diminished strength in that arm and whole side of my upper body, and have some trouble putting my arm overhead.

Do you have full active range of motion?

I'm not entirely sure what the term "active range of motion" means, but I think so in terms of lifting my arm overhead. I'm weaker on that side, but can hold things overhead at my full extension, so the shoulder mobility is there. 

First Crossfit Competition!

Dead hang with Coach Carlos!

         This weekend I completed a two-day Crossfit competition at Crossfit Singular Box (see videos at the bottom of this post).  It was my first-ever competition and I’m really happy to have completed it!  I was overwhelmed by the support from the coaches and members of the gym.  It really is an incredible group of people.  Although we were competing, everyone cheered each other on and showed such great sportsmanship.  It was really impressive and says a lot about the atmosphere of the box.

The competition took place on Saturday and Sunday.  There were three WODs (Workouts of the Day) on Saturday and two on Sunday.  Below I have included a chart of the WODs that everyone completed and the modifications that were made for me.  The coaches did a really good job of making my exercises just as difficult for me as they were for everyone else.  I ended up in seventh place out of thirteen girls. Not so bad for a first-timer!

WOD #1: (As Many Rounds as Possible [AMRAP] 10’)

Original Workout	Modifications
10 calorie row
15 wall ball shots 16 lbs.	Used an 8 lb ball
20 second hand stand hold	Held a plank position with my knees on a box and held onto a dumbbell on the floor with my left arm to even out my arms

What is BPI?

Brachial Plexus Injury (BPI) is a nerve injury, normally caused at birth by constrictions during natural delivery called shoulder dystocia. The brachial plexus is simply a group of nerves that work together to move your shoulder, arm and hand, and can affect your neck as well. This may occur when the infant’s arm or neck is pulled out forcefully in an attempt to get him or her out as quickly as possible.   Usually, the nerves are separated from the spinal cord (avulsion) or overstretched (neuropraxia). 

In my case, this was exactly what happened.  Forceps were illegally used twice in order to pull me out; at the time, in 1989, they could only legally be used once.  In turn, the nerves C5-8 and T1 were overstretched and the only part of my upper left extremity that I could move was my thumb.  I was quickly diagnosed with Erb’s Palsy¹ and Klumpke’s Palsy², which can be generally referred to as BPI, due to neuropraxia. 

Thankfully, my parents were very proactive and, at nine days old, I began physical therapy.  It was important that my arm was moved many times throughout the day in order to “reteach” the nerves.  Within the first two years of a baby’s life, it’s possible that the nerves can fully recover.  However, for most of us, this is a life-long process of improving and maintaining function.

*This injury can be caused by other situations as well.  Car accidents can be one cause, for example.

To learn more in-depth, scientific information about BPI, please see these links:

• Orthobullets
• Hopkins Medicine

¹Erb’s Palsy: upper part of the brachial plexus has been affected (nerves C5-C6)

²Klumpke’s Palsy: lower part of the brachial plexus has been affected (nerves C8-T1)

Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

I’ve been procrastinating starting this blog for a while. Mainly because I had no idea where to begin. I think I finally got it.

A few weeks ago, I was working out at Crossfit Singular Box; the gym I go to in Madrid, Spain.  While everyone was stretching after the workout, one of the coaches, Adrian, asked me if I was going to do a competition hosted at the box, which would simulate the Crossfit Games.  I initially thought, Am I good enough?  and responded with a shy, “I don’t think so.”  Looking back on it, what a terrible thing to think. 

I couldn’t stick with my original answer, it just seemed too cowardly.  When he asked me, “Why not?” I was forced to ask myself: Why shouldn’t I do the competition?  For fear of not being the best?  That’s just not a good enough excuse. So, of course, I agreed to do it. 

Flash forward two weeks to today.  We’ve just had our second, and final, qualifying WOD (Workout of the Day).  Only a certain number of members will be accepted into the competition. 

I would be lying if I said the workouts have been easy. They’ve been incredibly hard.  I haven’t yet mentioned that I have BPI (Brachial Plexus Injury), which makes some of the exercises difficult.  I virtually do one-armed burpees and a majority of the time my right arm overcompensates for my left.  I struggle with a majority of the WODs.  However, everyone has something. Everyone has a limiting factor. It can be mental, physical, emotional.  But to allow that limit to take control of your life can be so detrimental. 

A wise woman named Cynthia Chiam once said, “When you step out of your comfort zone, you are stepping into your greatness.” I want to have the courage to do exactly this, and my hope is that you will try to do the same.