Spinal Cord Injury Home

Welcome to our Spinal Cord Injury Community! Meet Aaron Baker, Shield HealthCare’s Spinal Cord Injury Lifestyle Specialist and recovering C4-5-6 complete quadriplegic. Aaron is also an athlete, ambassador, entrepreneur and father. Here you can find accurate and motivational information about acute and post-acute recovery, health and ongoing management of a Spinal Cord Injury. We hope you join us and explore our library of helpful resources. The possibilities are endless!

In a moment, your life changes. We’re here to support you through the many difficult moments in the recovery, rehabilitation, and rebuilding of your life. Explore Aaron’s many articles on learning to eat, walk, and move your body, pushing through limitations with the power of your mind.

Whether you’ve been living with your injury weeks, years, or even decades, there’s always something new to learn. From pain management and spastic bowels to sleeping, parenting, and accessible travel tips, there’s information for everyone living with permanent injury. Can’t find the answer you’re looking for? Ask Aaron!

From interviews to how-to’s, some things are best explained in person. Watch these videos for great tips from Aaron and other injury survivors. Are you looking to travel? Explore our Mobility in the City series, and see what accessible activities cities have to offer across the U.S.!

Accessible Grand Canyon

Free Access to National Parks for Disabled Individuals

Exploring the great outdoors is a form of medicine that should be accessible to everyone. The U.S. National Park Service recognizes this and has taken steps to make sure that individuals with disabilities can enjoy the beauty of America’s national parks. Free access to national parks for disabled individuals is called the “America the Beautiful… Continue reading Free Access to National Parks for Disabled Individuals

Aaron Baker

Painted Toes: Reconnecting To Your Body After Spinal Cord Injury

When Aaron Baker landed on his neck at 19 years of age, his doctors diagnosed him as a C4-5-6 complete quadriplegic and gave him the prognosis of having only a one-in-a-million chance of ever feeding himself again. He refused to accept this prognosis and fought to regain sensation. Today, his achievements include pedaling a bicycle… Continue reading Painted Toes: Reconnecting To Your Body After Spinal Cord Injury

Aaron Baker
disability pandemic

Disability Pride Month

Through evidence-based practice, we can improve patient outcomes and patient satisfaction, reduce hospital readmissions, and maximize agency reimbursement.

Aaron Baker
Staying Fit In a Wheelchair

Nutrition and Exercise in Managing Spinal Cord Injuries

Nutrition and exercise play a critical role in promoting recovery, preventing secondary complications, and enhancing the quality of life for individuals living with a SCI.

Paige Oyaga
wound care part 3

Break, Sprain or Fracture: What’s the Difference?

When discussing injuries to bones and joints, terms like “break”, “sprain”, and “fracture” are sometimes used interchangeably, leading to confusion. Recently, my wife and I took our daughter to the ER after a playful event turned into an injury. In trying to understand her level of pain and what that pain felt like, I wondered… Continue reading Break, Sprain or Fracture: What’s the Difference?

Aaron Baker

Self-Care Strategies for Mental Health

In today’s fast-paced world, maintaining mental health can often take a back seat to the laundry list of daily life tasks. However, managing your mental health contributes to your overall wellbeing and should be prioritized. Here are some strategies to help you nurture your mental health. Prioritize Sleep A lack of sleep can exacerbate stress,… Continue reading Self-Care Strategies for Mental Health

Aaron Baker
Adaptive Mountain Bikes

Adversity Into Adventure World Tour KICK OFF!

The Adversity Into Adventure World Tour kicked off on Monday, June 10th in Santa Monica, CA at the beginning of Route 66. With a mission to...

Aaron Baker
Disabilities and Addiction

Disabilities and Addiction

My family has a long history of substance abuse, and as someone who has a propensity to go BIG with everything I do, I am very aware of how one drink can turn into many drinks, which can turn into a habit of drinking. Alcohol is a social activity, a bonding tool, and an escape… Continue reading Disabilities and Addiction

Aaron Baker
adaptive winter sports

NBC Sports Disabled Talent Search

Do you like sports? Are you comfortable in front of the camera? Have you ever been interested in commentating or hosting? If you answered yes to all three questions, then you are in luck! NBC Sports and Making Space, a non-profit, have released a free on-demand training course designed to build an expansive list of… Continue reading NBC Sports Disabled Talent Search

Aaron Baker
colonoscopy for early detection and screening

Colonoscopies for Early Detection and Screening

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, which aims to highlight the importance of early detection and screening starting at the age 45. Although colorectal cancer is the second deadliest cancer in the US, it is one of the few cancers that is preventable with screening. I had my first colonoscopy at 39… one in… Continue reading Colonoscopies for Early Detection and Screening

Aaron Baker
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Why am I always sore after removing my intermittent catheter?
Colin
I, too, used to experience soreness due to catheter insertion and removal. I attributed this to the fact that I was inserting the catheter hose into very delicate tissue...