United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Ok for those of you who have a non-functional, or gravity inhibited arm. Anyway, people who have no or very limited function in gravity or are not able to bend at the elbow in gravity...... All others with opinions too!!!
If you fall and need to put your arms out to catch your fall will your BPI arm reflexively do the movement? Not a conscience thought, where you are trying not to put it out so as not to hurt it, but to have it move into the normal position as the uninjured arm is. A movement that you would otherwise not be able to make. My opinion would be that if the arm was paralyzed or not able to make the conscious movement it should not be able to do the reflexive? I know when my mom had a massive stroke and her arm was paralyzed she broke the arm during a fall as she was not able to make any movement to protect or use it.
Thanks for your opinions, I will post later why I am asking but want opinions on this before giving more info in which I will want other opinions.
Sue

No, a paralised arm will not have enough of a reflex action to prevent a fall on that side, but (and I am only guessing here that this is what you're getting at) a bicep can re-innnervate spontaneously, without surgery over a certain number of months.

I'm not saying that everyone with a severe TBPI and no surgery will automatically find that their bicep will work over time, but it certainly does happen...

..over to you Jen..!

Liz F

Well, I kept looking at what he could do with the arm. Laying on his side he can lift 5#'s repetitively. The therapist said that usually people who can lift between 4-5 can lift the arm in gravity. So, this made me think maybe it's the brain saying he can't. Then he has had the 2 reflexive moves in gravity. I thought that would be an indication that the muscle is strong enough to be able to work in gravity. Later though, after asking that question on UBPN someone mentioned about their son being able to move in a seizure while not otherwise, so maybe my thinking is flawed there. Maybe the adrenaline super charges the nerves or muscles? But, 2x's he has also moved it while not intending or trying. So again that gives me the idea he can. I figure we have to show the brain that he can. Or work up slowly to gravity and exercize it as much in gravity as we can. Hopefully making it strong enough. Or since he's convinced it can't move in gravity, show the brain that it can. Any way I thought if we could slowly move him up into gravity maybe we could overcome both problems. Showing the brain, and strengthening in a more upright so that he could learn he can do it. Well, long explanation. But it's hard to be sure whether it is brain injury or TBPI that is preventing the movement. If this doesn't work I am thinking about trying hypnosis to see if he can then move the arm up in gravity. I am optimistic with this as he is getting so far up in gravity and doing more reps each time.
Sue