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    The Empty Chair: A Movement to Limit the Wheelchair and Lead a Healthy Life
    The Empty Chair: A Movement to Limit the Wheelchair and Lead a Healthy Life
    The Empty Chair: A Movement to Limit the Wheelchair and Lead a Healthy Life
    Ebook196 pages1 hour

    The Empty Chair: A Movement to Limit the Wheelchair and Lead a Healthy Life

    By Howard B Cotler, MD

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    About this ebook

    There are an estimated 3.3 million wheelchair users in the United States alone. This is the equivalent of the entire populations of Chicago and Boston combined and represents a tremendous challenge for Americans. However, there are some preventative measures you can take to help avoid the wheelchair and even ways to become ambulatory again after using a wheelchair. In The Empty Chair: A Movement to Limit the Wheelchair and Lead a Healthy Life readers will learn the main causes of wheelchair usage, as well as methods to take to decrease the risk of becoming dependent upon a mobility aid. For those readers who already use a wheelchair, this book details exercise regimens that should be considered in order to avoid the disease of inactivity or astronaut s disease and takes a look at the future of the wheelchair. Learn from Dr. Cotler s expertise as a spinal surgeon, and see what you can do to limit the wheelchair.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAtlantic Publishing Group Inc.
    Release dateFeb 26, 2016
    ISBN9781620231388
    The Empty Chair: A Movement to Limit the Wheelchair and Lead a Healthy Life

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      Book preview

      The Empty Chair - Howard B Cotler, MD

      The Empty Chair

      A Movement to Limit the Wheelchair and Lead a Healthy Life

      Howard B. Cotler MD, FACS, FAAOS, FABOS

      The Empty Chair: A Movement to Limit the Wheelchair and Lead a Healthy Life

      Copyright © 2016 Howard B. Cotler MD, FACS, FAAOS, FABOS

      Published by Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.

      1405 SW 6th Avenue • Ocala, Florida 34471 • Phone 800-814-1132 • Fax 352-622-1875

      Website: www.atlantic-pub.com • Email: sales@atlantic-pub.com

      SAN Number: 268-1250

      No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the Publisher. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be sent to Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc., 1405 SW 6th Avenue, Ocala, Florida 34471.

      This publication is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws, and all rights are reserved, including resale rights: you are not allowed to give or sell this ebook to anyone else. If you received this publication from anyone other than an authorized seller you have received a pirated copy. Please contact us via e-mail at sales@atlantic-pub.com and notify us of the situation.

      Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

      Names: Cotler, H. B. (Howard B.), author.

      Title: The empty chair : a movement to limit the wheelchair and lead a healthy life / by Howard Cotler MD, FACS, FAAOS, FABOS?E.

      Description: Ocala, Florida : Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc., [2016] | Includes bibliographical references and index.

      Identifiers: LCCN 2016002472| ISBN 9781620231357 (alk. paper) | ISBN 1620231352 (alk. paper)

      Subjects: LCSH: Wheelchairs. | People with disabilities.

      Classification: LCC RD757.W4 C68 2016 | DDC 617/.033--dc23 LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2016002472

      LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: The publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom. The fact that an organization or website is referred to in this work as a citation and/or a potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the organization or website may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that Internet websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read.

      TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: All trademarks, trade names, or logos mentioned or used are the property of their respective owners and are used only to directly describe the products being provided. Every effort has been made to properly capitalize, punctuate, identify, and attribute trademarks and trade names to their respective owners, including the use of ® and ™ wherever possible and practical. Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc. is not a partner, affiliate, or licensee with the holders of said trademarks.

      This Atlantic Publishing eBook was professionally written, edited, fact checked, proofed and designed. Over the years our books have won dozens of book awards for content, cover design and interior design including the prestigious Benjamin Franklin award for excellence in publishing. We are proud of the high quality of our books and hope you will enjoy this eBook version, which is the same content as the print version.

      Table of Contents

      Dedications

      Introduction

      Chapter 1: Anatomy

      Chapter 2: Incidence

      Chapter 3: Common Causes of Wheelchair Usage

      Chapter 4: Avoiding the Chair

      Chapter 5: First Aid For Neck and Back Pain

      Chapter 6: Nonoperative Treatment

      Chapter 7: Wheelchair Exercises and Limited Mobility Fitness

      Chapter 8: Operative Treatment

      Chapter 9: Prevention

      Chapter 10: Accelerated Recovery Programs

      Chapter 11: Early Intervention

      Chapter 12: The Treaters

      Chapter 13: The Devices

      Chapter 14: The Mental Game

      Chapter 15: The Future

      Glossary

      References

      Author Biography

      Dedications

      Florence Dion Cotler who nurtured two spine surgeons

      Jerome M. Cotler MD a mentor and father

      Paul R. Meyer Jr. MD a mentor and second father

      Table of Contents

      INTRODUCTION

      Currently one out of every hundred people in the United States is wheelchair dependent. This has created a huge personal and financial burden on those individuals, their families, the government and society as a whole.

      When thinking of wheelchair usage, most people immediately think of those with paralysis from a spinal condition such as Christopher Reeve or Governor Greg Abbott. But the most common reasons for wheelchair use are actually stroke and osteoarthritis. Chronic serious back problems are another major cause. Additionally, chronic conditions such as multiple sclerosis, obesity, cancer, closed head injury, polytrauma and simply being elderly provide additional wheelchair needs. The disease of inactivity resulting from any one of these injuries or illnesses oftentimes results in wheelchair dependency. Through activity-based exercise programs, nutrition programs and careful symptomatic care this exacerbation of the disease process may be avoided. All this needs to be considered while undergoing care for your primary diagnosis.

      Wheelchairs are, unfortunately, a visible sign of disability, at least as perceived by the public and sometimes by the user. There is a certain percentage of wheelchair users that will never be able to walk again. But if prevention, earlier intervention, more aggressive self-help and exercise programs were utilized more often there would be far fewer wheelchair users. By taking better care of yourself now, you may prevent the need for a wheelchair later.

      Like my father before me, I have dedicated my life and career to helping those who have suffered. So for the past 30 years as a practicing orthopedic surgeon specializing in spine care, I have tried to eradicate paralysis and dysfunction — both physically and mentally — and return people back to leading active and productive lives.

      My journey began as a son of an orthopedic surgeon who was a co-founder of Delaware Valley Regional SCI Center, one of the 14 regional spinal cord injury model systems. I subsequently had the privilege of training in three of the model centers and worked in one for 17 years. Through this battlefield education I have come to appreciate how precious and fragile life is — a delicate balance between normal and chaos.

      My awakening came one day when I was riding my bike and, after hitting a crack in the road, flipped over the handlebars. I was not wearing a helmet and came to the immediate fear of sustaining a spinal cord injury. Here I was, a young orthopedic surgeon with a young family who, in an instant, could have become paralyzed by a freak accident. I was given a second chance. Many are not so fortunate. From that day forward I knew that I had a calling

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