Author Archives: Emily Jones

Throughout Michael’s physical therapy treatments, there have been several progressions of seated balance activities that we have worked on as he has demonstrated improved abilities to perform these activities. When we were first able to transfer Michael to the therapy table, all that was performed in a seated position was…

Cervical, or neck, range of motion is important for many different reasons. A major reason it is needed has to do with safety with scanning the environment during functional activities. Due to scoliosis, Michael has had most of his thoracic and lumbar spine fused, which has limited his range…

When patients are limited in their range of motion, this can lead to an inability to tolerate certain positions. For example, Michael, who has been diagnosed from an early age with SMA, is severely lacking hip and knee extension, making it hard for him to assume a prone position. This…

People with SMA spend most of their time sitting in a wheelchair. Because of this, they are at an increased risk of developing pressure ulcers. This is due to the increased time spent with weight-bearing through a specific area, usually, a bony prominence, such as the “sit bones,” although they…

For nearly 3 years, I’ve been working with Michael as his primary clinician for physical therapy. Within the past month, I decided to move to a different physical therapy location in Ft. Worth Texas. A few weeks before the change was made, Michael and I discussed his physical therapy needs…

In 1980, when Michael was 15 years old, he underwent scoliosis surgery at Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas. During his preop preparation, his parents performed percussion therapy on his back to keep excess fluid and mucus from building up in his lungs. They did this for three months…

While working with a patient with SMA, you may find it beneficial for the patient, as well as the therapist, to have at least two people available to help in the treatment if you plan to transfer to a therapy table for different exercises. For Michael, we transfer him from…

In preparation for a muscle-targeted treatment, which is currently under development by Scholar Rock for patients with SMA, we have continued to work to maintain the strength improvements Michael has made, but we have also shifted to increasing his range of motion in different joints. In the joints where Michael…

Swelling in the lower extremities is a common occurrence in people who are diagnosed with SMA, secondary to different reasons. Some reasons include lack of muscle contraction and the ability to pump fluid out of their feet, as well as positional limitations during the day as most are in a…

Michael and I have been working together for the past couple of years, and while speaking with each other about my March HCP article, we thought that doing a question-and-answer article would be interesting. Michael would ask me 5 questions, and I would ask him 5 questions. We hope that…