This is so great to see. Ryan Straschnitzki, who was paralyzed from the chest down in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash, went to Thailand for a procedure and the result is some movement in his legs! The 20-year-old had an epidural stimulator implanted in his spine. It works by stimulating nerves to help move limbs by sending electrical currents to the spinal cord. Surgeons and therapists program the implant to stimulate certain nerves. Ryan’s family shared a rehab video on Twitter, noting the “Therapist is only holding his leg. Ryan is moving it. Then Ryan asks if he can go work out at the mall gym after. The stunned therapist said NO. You just had surgery. Seriously, son. Ha ha.” What a guy! As far as where this leads, it’s not typically a therapy that will lead to walking again, but Straschnitzki could have significant improvement in functional movements that would really increase his quality of life.
Check out the video below, full of inspiration, determination, and hope.
https://twitter.com/strazsr/status/1192011949107597312
