The strength of exercise

Spina bifida is a birth defect which is caused in vitro improper formation of the spinal cord and spine. This birth defect is common within the United States and leads to lifelong complications, it is reported that 7 of every 10,000 children have this condition. The limitations range from mobility to system complications such as cardiovascular complications. Due to the severe limitation and complication it is often extremely difficult to live active lifestyles. This can further cause a significant impact on their quality of life and mental wellbeing. 

The article took adult with spina bifida and did a comparison analysis based off different factions such as age, fitness level, and impairments or limitations. They found that adults who regularly exercised had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, and bone density. All of which highly impact spina bifida. 

With early intervention of physical therapy and low impact exercise many patient with Spina bifida have found a improvement in their quality of life. During my internship in physical therapy we had one patient who also had spina bifida and had previously as an infant undergone many surgeries and procedures. Standard exercises were too aggressive and dangerous for him. We chose an alternative route to more aerobic treatment with manual therapy. During my 4 month internship the improvement this patient showed was significant. He first would only use the elevator to our clinic and by the end of my time he had started using the stairs. He also informed us that with the exercise and diet he was able to manage his glucose levels better and was no longer pre-diabetic (about 16 months after start of treatment). By making treatments more accessible and catered to individual needs we were able to showcase beneficence. By catering to his needs we impacted not only his lifestyle but also learned a lot about inclusivity and catering to individual needs. Exercise may not look the same for all but by making slight adjustments the impact may be greater than one could imagine.

Crytzer, Theresa M., et al. “Physical activity, exercise, and health‐related measures of fitness in adults with spina bifida: A review of the literature.” PM&R, vol. 5, no. 12, Dec. 2013, pp. 1051–1062, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmrj.2013.06.010.