In the South, for those who live in Alabama or near, there is the University of Alabama at Birmingham Spinal Cord Injury Model System. Part of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, the University of Alabama Spinal Cord Injury Model System offers the highest level of care along with the research and education that makes it qualify as a spinal cord injury model system hospital.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Spinal Cord Injury Model System also offers its Information Network for the spinal cord injury community. This network provides an array of resources, research opportunities, and health and quality of life information for not only people with paralysis but their families and those who work with people with spinal cord injuries.
When you enter their information network you'll find a wide variety of educational materials. Many of the materials touch on important topics regarding the health of people with paralysis, reminding people with SCI how to stay healthy. To learn more about what you'll find in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Spinal Cord Injury Model System Information Network, continue below.
SCI Facts and Rehab Tip Sheets
What makes a spinal cord injury model system stand out among other spinal cord injury rehabilitation centers is is their offerings, like the SCI Fact Sheets. They are a wide variety of fact sheets on different topics related to life with a spinal cord injury.
What makes this fact sheets great is that they are free to print and to use for educational purposes. They offer 29 fact sheets on topics related to paralysis. If you have a new injury, they offer a fact sheet called "Understanding Spinal Cord Injury Part 1: The Body Before and After Injury. They also offer “Part 2: "Recovery and Rehabilitation."
Other fact sheets include "Adjusting to Life After spinal cord injury," "Personal Care Attendants and Spinal Cord Injury," "Autonomic Dysreflexia" and "Urinary Tract Infection and Spinal Cord Injury." Info on sports, driving, pregnancy, sexuality, bottles, weight management, exercise, skincare, employment, respiratory health, pain, research, transfers, mental health, spasticity, and more are available in their other SCI fact sheets. You can find all of their fact sheets here https://www.uab.edu/medicine/sci/uab-scims-information/sci-infosheets
SCI Videos
You'll also find three important videos on spinal cord injury-related topics in their information network. The first is called, "Secondary conditions of SCI health education,” which is several videos on the secondary conditions that can occur if you’re paralyzed, with videos on pain management, respiratory management, cardiovascular health, and many more
The second video is "Reproductive Health or Women with SCI,” which is a video series as well for both men and women. They also offer a video on the dangers of smoking if you have an SCI, "Smoking's Effect on Secondary Complications of SCI." To view these videos, visit here: https://www.uab.edu/medicine/sci/uab-scims-information/secondary-conditions-of-sci-health-education-video-series
EatRight Weight Management
When you become paralyzed, you do not meet a consume as many calories as you would if you were able-bodied. Many people, unfortunately, gain weight after their injury. The University of Alabama at Birmingham offers what is called their EatRight Weight Management Program, which is a 12-week program that includes workbooks and video weekly lessons to educate you about how to start your diet, choose the right foods, and plan your meals when it comes to healthy eating with a spinal cord injury. Check it out here: https://www.uab.edu/medicine/sci/uab-scims-information/eatrightr-weight-management-program
And last but not least, they also offer five thorough rehabilitation tip sheets that offer providers and consumer caregivers step-by-step instructions on how to perform common activities needed by people who are paralyzed. These include wheelchair positioning, transfers, and that positioning. You to learn more about them here: https://www.uab.edu/medicine/sci/uab-scims-information/rehab-tip-sheets
- Learn more: https://www.uab.edu/medicine/sci/
