Movement recovery after spinal cord injury with Theo St. Francis.
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Connecting Through the Struggle

10/3/2015

14 Comments

 
“When you’re not able to do it, you know that’s when you’re actually doing it!” says Alejandra in her endearing and characteristic Chilean accent whenever I start gritting my teeth trying to perform an exercise. “That’s when the body is really able to connect.” Well, gee, I sure hope so! I think, sweating, as I push through the motion with Ale resisting me.
 
Her point is that if I can complete the full range of a motion, my body will not be searching to connect to new muscles and parts of my body, which is my goal. Once the connection is established, I need to build power in it, for example, these exercises are great for consistently strengthening the muscles which are connected, but I am not necessarily forcing my body to reach deeper into the muscles and connective tissue network.

My work with Ale is specifically geared at encouraging new connections to develop among muscles – as opposed to relying on the nerve roots that come out of the spinal cord. I have been on Maui for the last month working with her and the Neuro Kinetic Pilates method (NKP)…and it’s going really well. Since my visit in March, I have been diligently using the Pilates method at home and at Absolute Center in Lafayette, CA; immediately upon my arrival here, Alejandra was able to see lots of improvements…
 
Since my abdominals are so much more connected than they were just six months ago, we have been able to extend the connections of my back muscle all along my spine. (If the abs are not engaged, then my abdomen hangs loosely and my body is out of alignment so the back cannot function properly.)
 
You can see my improved muscle tone pretty clearly...pretty sweet!
pilates erector spinae theovercoming
Next, we have been coaxing the connection down farther to work on stabilizing my hips by using my gluteal muscles (a strong butt is crucial for standing and walking stability!). The glutes have always been a struggle for me to keep engaged, as they must be firing at least a small amount all the time.
 
They are definitely getting better, and the best part is that both my abdominals and back engage automatically when doing exercises for the hips, which is an immense improvement and one that gets me really fired up (so to speak).
 
This has, of course, only come with a ton of hard work. Since my introduction to NKP last March, every time I returned exhausted from a workout at the gym (and the hour-plus commute), I would think, I’ll give myself a little bit of downtime to stretch-out, but then I’m getting right on those springboard exercises (linked above) to expand on what I just did at the gym.
 
I noticed over time that after an hour or so of that routine, I felt more invigorated even as my body got more tired. It was as if waking up those muscles unlocked some hidden reservoir of energy somewhere inside me such that I began to feel more awake – and since my last visit working with Alejandra, I am very cognizant of that energetic improvement as I continue to make my movements more efficient.
 
Seeing and feeling tangible results, and therefore having confidence that what I am doing is actually working is a feeling of immense joy, and relief, that I cannot even describe.
 

“I uuuuuse the liiiiines…” is Ale’s refrain, referring to our patterns of connective tissue (see diagrams), whenever people ask her how she is able to handle such a physically demanding job for what would be considered a double work-week in the movement-therapy world.

She uses her body efficiently, and in such a muscularly-balanced way that minimizes risk of injury. She has, of course, paid close attention to her own bodily alignment, and it is a constant reminder of how infinite the possibilities are for me as I reconnect to more and more parts of myself. 
​
  
Picture
Family beach time, Maui north shore.
Haleakala sunrise theovercoming
Sunrise on the 10,000ft peak of Haleakala with the brother.
14 Comments
Cathy Barnes
10/3/2015 03:18:37 pm

Theo, you continue to amaze and inspire! Rio just started college in San Diego and Zephyr is now a second Lt. In the Marines, and your story helps keep us all living a life of perspective!

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Theo
10/7/2015 02:06:53 pm

Happy to hear, Cathy! Give my best to the boys.

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Kyle kirwan
10/3/2015 03:19:43 pm

Theo. Your progress is astounding. You and your family are amazing.

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Nancy Kirwan
10/3/2015 04:01:21 pm

Theo, love those back muscles. It is always so inspiring and encouraging to read your updates. It definitely puts my self created stresses into perspective.

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Susan Bolle
10/3/2015 04:50:20 pm

I’m so happy you have the opportunity to work with your incredibly knowledgeable NK Pilates instructor-- in Maui! I already had respect for fascia but had no idea that new nerve connections could be forged using connective tissue. The “discovery” of fascia is pretty new—and it looks like the power of fascia will really benefit your recovery. I had successful neural prolotherapy for chronic neck pain a few years ago, which you probably know about—injections of glucose into the fascia
(I wound up on the Dr. Oz show with my Dr.)
Anyway, the video of you on the cadillac/trapeze shifting your hips side-to-side and showing off your abs was impressive. And your back muscles! Surely a testament to your philosophy of no limits. Thanks for sharing all your (beautifully written) insights which always inspire me.

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Theo
10/7/2015 02:05:35 pm

Susan, I love your phrasing when you say you have 'respect for fascia:' that's such a critical mindset for this work. It's about allowing the body (through proper positioning, myofascial release, etc.) the opportunity to connect in whichever way it can – because we just don't understand how it really happens. (I wrote a piece for Balanced Body Magazine on this very topic, coming out in a week or two, and I will be sure to send it to you once it's published.)

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Shari Tracy
10/3/2015 06:39:56 pm

Theo, you are an inspiration to me. Your positive attitude helps me with my everyday life. Keep up the good work! You inspire more people than you know. Shari Tracy NBA master

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Emily Andrews
10/5/2015 12:36:07 pm

I love reading these posts, keep up the amazing work! Also, great pictures from Hawaii!!

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Arash
10/5/2015 03:01:37 pm

Good to see you working hard and making those new connections with Ale. She's absolutely right. It's only when it's difficult and seemingly impossible that the connections are actually being made. I fully believe that. Stoked to see all of your progress from your time with Ale and how that will help you continue forward on your journey. Keep it up bro -AB

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Theo
10/7/2015 02:11:16 pm

Very true, and it often comes when and where you least expect, as you know. Always important to keep an open mind...

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Candace
10/5/2015 07:11:51 pm

Great work, Theo! And, you could not be doing this work in a better part of the world. Maui is a special place with spiritual as well as physical healing properties. Keep at it!!! It's working! :)

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Theo
10/7/2015 02:13:17 pm

You're right Candace...I definitely think swimming in the waves promotes fascial rebounding :)

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Katie Kelly
10/6/2015 04:57:45 pm

For the past few days now, I've been ruminating on this: “When you’re not able to do it, you know that’s when you’re actually doing it!” Your words are like a rich but slow absorbing cup of coffee; the energy stays with you long after consumption. I realize your blog is a chronicle of your personal struggle, but for those of fortunate enough to read it, it is a gift, a beautifully crafted manual on how to seize the day.

Reply
Theo
10/7/2015 02:51:20 pm

What a beautiful comment, Katie, thank you. As I just mentioned above, I firmly believe that keeping an open mind is one of the single most important things one can do to, as you say, seize the day.

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