Hometown: Vista, CA
Injury Date: 6/30/05
Diagnosis: T-4 Incomplete
Start Date: 1/30/07
While Chris’ friends all loaded into their cars, he decided to take advantage of the nice summer night and hopped on his motorcycle. Chris loved his bike and was well-experienced at riding. On his way, he hit a pothole in the road which caused him to lose control of the motorcycle. Chris tried to regain control of the bike, but swerved and hit a tree. He doesn’t remember much after that.
Chris was taken to Palomar Hospital in San Marcos, CA where he learned he had sustained multiple fractures from the crash. His sternum was split in half, he shattered his shoulder and wrist, and he had internal bleeding. The doctors thought he had a ruptured aorta, and, finally, he was also diagnosed with T4 spinal cord injury. Due to his excessive internal bleeding, Chris’ doctors had to wait three days to perform fusion on his spine. After leaving the hospital, Chris spent a couple of months doing traditional rehabilitation. A year and a half after his injury, Chris found Project Walk®.
Upon his arrival, Chris’ specialists found that he had a very active nervous system. He has quadriceps spasms, which were quickly implemented into knee extension. He has slight hip flexor spasms which helps him initiate a knee-to-chest motion. After one month of working out at Project Walk, Chris began noticing improved core strength, stamina, and endurance. He finds that he doesn’t tire as quickly as he used to. He has also noticed more tone in his legs, which helps him to stand up with minimal assistance locking out his knees. Chris is excited to continue his recovery and to see what improvements will come next.
If you would like to contact Chris, please post on our message board.
On June 30, 2005, Chris and his friends were hanging out and decided to go get something to eat.