Jacqueline G. suffered a lower lumbar spinal cord injury before she started The Recovery Project. She retained a significant level of mobility and could walk with the assistance of a cane. The injury, however, resulted in Jacqueline experiencing severe gait deviations—which put her at a higher risk for falls at home and out in the community. She was also experiencing spasms in her leg, which she was hoping therapy would help suppress.
By the end of the program, Jacqueline said her leg spasms had decreased significantly, giving her better sleep quality. Her gait also improved considerably, advancing from 671 feet in her baseline testing to 976 feet in her 6-Minute Walk test, and she improved from 8 to 10 sit-to-stands. Perhaps most significantly, her Timed Up & Go (TUG) test decreased from 15 seconds to 10 seconds, and her Fullerton Advanced Balance (FAB) scale improved from 25 to 29. In the TUG test, anything greater than 13.5 seconds puts individuals at a higher risk for falls, and a score below 25 in the FAB scale indicates a higher risk for falls—safely putting Jacqueline at a lower risk for falls so she can continue to live independently.
