6/22/2023 0 Comments Leg fluid retention![]() ![]() To help get you started, we’ve provided a link for passive range of motion exercises for spinal cord injury patients. This in turn can help move fluid back out of the legs to reduce edema. Moving the legs using passive range of motion exercises promotes circulation and can lessen joint stiffness. Your therapist may also be able to provide you with some techniques to help you perform passive leg movements independently. If your upper extremities are affected or very weak because of spinal cord injury, ask your caregiver, physical therapist, or nurse to help you move your legs. This means you can use non-affected muscles to help move the affected ones, with or without the use of a band or other assistive device. When your mobility is limited, passive range of motion exercises can be used to promote movement without requiring active muscle function in the legs. This means frequent movement is very important to help reduce or prevent swelling. Move OftenĪs we’ve discussed previously, blood and other fluids can begin to pool in the legs when they are not moved enough. To help with this, here are 8 tips for treating swelling in the legs after spinal cord injury: 1. To decrease risk of complications, it is important to monitor swelling and take steps to reduce edema. Dependent edema can increase risk of blood clots and can also cause the skin to become more fragile and prone to sores. When movement is limited due to spinal cord injury, blood may begin to pool in the legs and cause them to appear swollen, red, and shiny. Regular leg movements are necessary to promote blood flow back to the heart. Since the leg muscles are innervated by the lower segments of the spinal cord, all spinal cord injury patients experience some degree of weakness or paralysis in the legs. Spinal cord injury can affect many functions below the level of injury. ![]() How to Reduce Leg Swelling After Spinal Cord Injury This is characterized by fluids pooling in the legs since they are not being pumped back upward by the weak or paralyzed muscles.įortunately, there are several ways to reduce edema and decrease risk of additional complications. In this article we will discuss 8 effective ways to help reduce and manage leg swelling after spinal cord injury. ![]() When the legs are less mobile and are in a dependent (low) position, such as in a wheelchair, gravity pulls fluids downward, leading to dependent edema. This swelling, known as ‘ edema,’ is caused by the buildup of fluids in the body and can occur suddenly at any stage following spinal cord injury.ĭepending on the level of spinal cord injury, many individuals experience paralysis of the legs, which limits mobility and contributes to swelling. Following a spinal cord injury, leg swelling is a common complication that can impact daily life and overall function. ![]()
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