Brain Waves: UAB Traumatic Brain Injury Model System Newsletter Volume 13 | Number 1 | Page 2

STAYING ACTIVE AFTER TBI
Part 1 - Engaging Your Body
The last issue of Brain Waves
showed how smart technology can
stimulate your mind. Now it is time to
get your body active, which, by the
way, also stimulates your mind.
Safety is rule #1 for getting active
after traumatic brain injury (TBI). In
the early days after injury, it is best
to avoid physical activity that is not
supervised by your doctor, physical
therapist (PT), or occupational
therapist (OT) as part of your
rehabilitation. You can damage your
brain more if you get active too soon.
Your doctor, PT or OT will tell you
when it is safe to get active, what
activities are safe to do, and advise
you on the best way to manage any
injury-related issues you might have.
Physical activity and exercise offer
many health benefits. Although most
people simply go to the gym or get
out in the community to participate in
healthy activities, many people with
TBI cannot do those things.
This article offers a few step-bystep suggestions to start getting you
active around the house. We target
three of the more common challenges
people face after TBI. In each area,
start with step 1 and move onto the
next step after you master each step.

1 - Improving Balance
Good balance gives you a steady
foundation to help you avoid falls.
This foundation also allows you to
build the strength and endurance you
need to better do everyday activities.
The skills below can help you
improve balance while sitting. A
spotter is a friend or family member
who watches you and offers help if
you need it to avoid falling.
1. Sit upright on a flat, firm
surface, such as a dining room
chair. Put both hands on the
seat and balance yourself
without leaning on the seat
back. Move onto the next
step when you can hold your
balance for 1 minute.
2. Sit with only one hand on
the seat. Move onto the next
step when you can hold your
balance for 1 minute.
3. Sit with no hands on the chair.
Move onto the next step when
you can hold your balance for 1
minute.
4. Sit with no hands on the chair
and toss a ball back and forth
with someone.
The next set of skills can help you
improve balance while standing. If you

need added support, back up near
a corner free of doors and windows.
Stand near the walls without touching,
but close enough that the walls
support you if you lose balance
backwards. You can also stand near
a kitchen counter, chair or another
sturdy source of support that you can
easily grab if you lose balance.
1. Stand on the floor or even
ground with your feet together.
Move onto the next step when
you can hold your balance for 1
minute.
2. Stand with your feet together
and your eyes closed. Move
onto the next step when you
can hold your balance for 1
minute.
3. Stand with your feet together
and your eyes open while
playing Wii or shooting baskets.
Move onto the next step when
you can hold your balance for 1
minute.
4. Do steps 1-3 while standing
with your feet apart.
2 - Increasing Strength
Strength training, sometimes called
resistance training, refers to ways you
can build muscle strength. Regular

Get Involved In Research!
Brave Initiative
The University of Alabama in Birmingham (UAB) aims to
improve the motor deficit of veterans who have sustained
a traumatic brain injury. Potential participants must:

• be at least 19 years old and 3 months post TBI
• have movement problems or weakness of the
•
•

arms, but the ability to make at least some limited
movements with the more affected hand
have no excessive pain
be able to undergo MRI

If you believe you meet the criteria above and would like
to participate in this study, Go to the website, call 205934-9768, or email for more information.

2

uab.edu/tbi

exercise is one of the best ways to
improve your muscle strength. A
common way is slowly increasing
the amount of weight you lift over
time. This also offers the added
benefit of improving heart health and
strengthening your bones.
The skills below can help you
improve strength while sitting. Again,
start with step 1 and move to the next
step when you can.
1. Cook, clean, put away
groceries, and fold laundry.
2. Do step 1 while wearing 1-5
pound Velcro wrist weights.
3. Use Thera-Band® or a recycled
milk jug filled with water to do
biceps curl (video example),
shoulder press (example), and
shoulder flexion (example).
The skills below are more advanced
options.
1. Put canned foods into overhead
cabinets.
2. Do step 1 while wearing 1-5
pound Velcro wrist weights.
3. Exercise using body weight,
such as crunches (example),
pushups (example), wall
sits (example), and squats
(example).
3 - Increasing Endurance
Do you get physically tired while
doing daily activities? This fatigue is
often caused by muscle weakness.
Regular exercise also builds your
muscle endurance. Exercise also

helps you sleep better, which is
essential for improving endurance.
You improve muscle endurance
by exercising with light weights and
increasing the number of repetitions
(reps) and sets that you do over time.
• Reps are the number of times to
perform an exercise. For example,
you do 10 curls in 1 minute and
stop. You have done 10 reps.
• Sets are the number of times you
repeat that number of reps. For
example, you do 10 curls in 1
minut R