Post stroke Functional Training - Progressing Walking Mechanics with Christa

Here is a video demonstrating the progress we at Functional Patterns have had with the improvement of Christa's walking biomechanics. Over thirty years ago, Christa suffered from a stroke and has been in physical therapy ever since. It has been a long process of degeneration happening in her body. She has been back and forth between wheel chairs and walking canes and with the work we are instituting, and are now getting very close to putting them both away. Her main deficiency has been the hemiparesis of the entire right side of her body. FP Master Practitioner, Kathy Alvarez has been digging in the trenches with her trying to find out what is inhibiting her from walking better. The results have been astounding and I can't speak more highly of the work she has put forth with her. I have managed to pop in and out from traveling and seminars to help best I can.

I remember the first day she came to FP, working on her posture was rigorous to her. The concept of intrinsic core stability was so foregone in her body, that just getting her to recruit her core would wipe her out. After a few months of work, her structure has been more efficiently wired in. We are now capable of progressing through her functional training at an exponential rate.

Christa's hemiparesis has made it a challenge to re-route her ribecage and pelvic shifts,tilts, rotations, compressions, etc. Eventhough half of her brain was damaged from the stroke, we continue to awaken neuromuscular communication in places that were completely dormant, subsequently seeing how adaptable the body really can be with the right environmental stimulus. Issues like balancing on her right leg or even closing her right hand to grab something were pretty much impossible for her just a few weeks ago. If you watch the video, you might notice some changes in those regards.

Through this process, we have also had the pleasure of removing a walking brace she had relied on for many years. Walking without her cane to Christa was almost an impossibility, as she would come to the point of falling after only taking a few steps. As of right now, she is walking around the gym without her cane at all anymore, and the signs point that it will be gone very soon. The excitement makes me teary eyed and it brings goosebumps just thinking about accomplishing this task.

Christa, you are an absolute inspiration to so many with your drive. I myself have been so heavily influenced by your ability to keep pushing to find answers and will follow your path for my own life. Thank you so much for giving us a shot at helping you with this, I can't wait to see where this goes!