UNC Hospitals Rehabilitation Therapies
Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)
Program & Goals
The department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation offers comprehensive care to individuals recovering from a spinal cord injury with the goal of maximizing function and quality of life.
Integrated Care Model
Our physiatrists develop and oversee an individualized care plan for each patient which is implemented by our team of rehabilitation professionals. Our services are available to patients with a spinal cord injury during acute hospitalization at UNC Hospitals, at the UNC Health Care Rehabilitation Center or our sub-acute rehabilitation at UNC-Rex.
We continue rehabilitation care, education, research and advocacy in the UNC PM&R Outpatient Clinic and through our community outreach programs.
Our faculty members also provide spasticity management, nerve conduction studies, electromyography studies (EMGs), as well as neuropsychological and psychological evaluation and treatment.
Therapists Prepare SCI Patients to Re-Enter Communities “We try to bridge the gap between the hospital and the real world,” says Kelly O’Brien, MA, CCC-SLP, a clinical speech pathologist in the UNC Health Care Rehabilitation Center. O’Brien gives patients critical tools and support for swallowing and communication, which some spinal cord injury patients require, and helps coordinate a weekly aphasia (communication) support group.
When O’Brien helps a patient increase the “volume” of his or her voice with breathing exercises, for example, this not only increases confidence at the time, but also provides an additional step toward more independence in the community.
Increasing vocal quality is one of many skills patients may need to re-learn after their injury. Speech, physical, occupational and recreational therapists help patients maximize their potential for a new life.
Courtney Matrunick, DPT, a doctor of physical therapy at the Rehabilitation Center, teaches patients with spinal cord injuries (SCI) compensatory strategies for functional mobility. People with spinal cord injuries need to learn how to find their new balance point after their injury, and Matrunick and her colleagues facilitate this process.
“It’s essential to have a good understanding of anatomy and how the body moves normally,” Matrunick notes. “For example, if you hold your forearm up and let your wrist drop forward, your fingers naturally straighten. Letting your wrist fall back causes them to naturally bend. This can be helpful for those without finger strength to grasp things like a cell phone.”
“Even if patients are unable to push through their arms, we can teach them how to lock their elbows for more controlled movement,” Matrunick continues.
Therapists stay in constant communication to guarantee they address individual patient needs and work toward the same goals. “Working together, we help patients regain their life,” Matrunick adds. “It’s exciting to make a huge difference.”
“I see infinite potential in people living with spinal cord injuries” says Raheleh Tschoepe, OTR/L, an occupational therapist at the Rehabilitation Center. “I can teach them a new way of living as they take on a new identity and a new role.”
She recalls teaching her patient, Bradley Saunders, how to use adaptive equipment for dressing and bathing. “When he returned home, he also used this equipment to pick apples from a tree,” she notes. “We empower patients to think outside the box; that’s what we hope for.” (See related story about Bradley Saunders.)
“To be the educator is as much responsibility as being the recipient,” Tschoepe adds. “You have to be thorough but not overwhelming.”
Therapists also are advancing SCI care at UNC by enhancing patient education resources, offering outings for aquatic therapy, and hosting SCI Awareness Week in Fall 2009.
Therapy is only one part of successful rehabilitation. The patient’s potential lies within the integration of the physician’s guidance, nurses’ diligence in care, psychological support and family encouragement.
