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Exercise for Persons with Disabilities (ExPD) at Spaulding Cambridge Outpatient
Having a disability should never keep you from doing the things you love. And that includes exercise and maintaining an active lifestyle. Our Exercise for Persons with Disabilities (ExPD) program provides opportunities and training for people with spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and stroke to participate in exercise programs that are fun and engaging. Our clinicians and therapists will tailor a program to meet your specific needs.
We offer a range of cardiovascular and muscle building programs for all levels of ability. One of the primary and most successful activities of the ExPD program is indoor adaptive rowing. If appropriate, we will combine your rowing routine with Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES). FES stimulates paralyzed muscles while you workout, so your whole body can benefit from the exercise. In fact, many FES-rowers reach the same exercise or activity levels as able-bodied rowers.
Spaulding's Approach to Exercise for Persons with Disabilities (ExPD)
You will be individually evaluated and have an exercise program specifically tailored to your needs and capabilities. Your progress is monitored closely and your exercise program is reevaluated frequently. Typically, a combination of indoor rowing (arms only rowing/FES-rowing) and upper body strength training, is used to optimize your performance and functional capacity.
Benefits of participating in the ExPD program can include an increase in aerobic capacity, an increase in lower extremity bone mass, and an improvement in blood lipid profile (cholesterol, triglycerides), sleep, mobility, independence as well as a decline in depression, anxiety, fatigue and pain. An additional benefit is that the exercise is performed in a group setting, allowing you to meet and encourage other participants.
