Guy H - Laserponcture Testimony (August 2004 - December 2005)

I began laserponcture sessions with M. Bohbot with four weeks in August 2004 - followed up with return visits two weeks out of every ten. This was a year after my accident. I was diagnosed as an L1 complete injury. My L1 vertebrae burst when I was hit by a lorry whilst walking across a road. I was in an S.I.U. from 13 August - 20 November 2003. My original scans and medical records are on the laserponcture website.

Initially all the muscles around my lower back were weak, my legs were powerless, and I had no understanding of what I could do for excercise. My spinal consultants had released me from the S.I.U. with limited physiotherapy (aimed mainly at transferring with a small amount of wheelchair balance skills) and hydrotherapy for upper body strength, and, on request for a letter for my healthcare insurers, had stipulated that I needed no further physiotherapy. The only excercise that I did was standing in an Oswestry standing-frame, which concerned me as the strap for blocking my knees was twisting them inwards and affecting my natural alignment at my ankles.

When I arrived at the clinic, I was demoralised by the prognosis of conventional medicine, and wanted to seek improvement and/or recovery.

M. Bohbot's belief that my situation could improve was the first and most dramatic benefit. He explained everything he did and the reasons behind the changes that were happening. He had a doctor who came in and took measurements at the start and end of each visit, which charted changes which were then available for all to see on his website, as were the video clips he took of us. And he advocated different forms of exercise, including an active/passive exercise bike, walking with callipers between parallel bars and on a treadmill, to capture the opening neural pathways.

I noted the following benefits from my visits:

1. My lower back strengthened below the site of injury, stopping constant back pains and providing greater mobility in my wheelchair;

2. My thigh muscles lost the fluid caused from inactivity and then increased in diameter each time;

3. My hips became stronger and I noticed I was able to achieve more on the treadmill with walking forwards, backwards and sideways (left and right);

4. I could cycle longer periods actively and on higher gear settings;

5. I did not have bladder infections or pressure sores which seemed to affect my peers;

6. I had increased internal sensations in my legs. They felt more connected to me and worth looking after;

7. I was able to achieve a good balance between getting on with work and knowing that I was maintaining and improving the physical condition of my body, and tendons remained fluid and bones strong and I kept the neutral positions in all my joints.

The clinic healthy environment, which allowed me to meet other people in similar situations, take courage from them, and exchange views and information on Spinal Cord Injury. Emotionally, I have greatly benefited from the knowledge that hope exists, which has removed some of the worse black periods.

17 Feb. 2006

DOB: 28 April 1975

Date of accident: 13 Aug. 2003

Pedestrian hit by a lorry

Level of injury: T12-L2

Report from the Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, 20 Nov. 2003:
L1, flaccid paraplegia

• Motor and sensory systems: nil below T12.
• Feels a vibration when percussion on bones below his injury.
• Sweats below his injury when temperatures are high.
• Bowels: digital extraction of stools; has some leakings; sometimes feels when passes stools.
• Bladder: areflexic bladder; intermittent cath. 4x/day; no infection.
• Intimate sensations: no erection; no ejaculation.
• When standing, Guy feels the weight of his body in his trunk; knee and ankle jerks absent; bulbar cavernosal response absent.
• Guy did not know if he was hungry or not right after the accident.

Limbs measurements	Pinprick tests
	02/11/04	21/01/05	31/05/05	08/12/05

Beginning of laseropncture: 2 Aug. 2004

Frequency: every 2 months

1. Independence

• Fully independent.

2. Stability

• 2 Nov. 2004: feels the weight of his body in his trunk and hips when standing (pressure).

• Bowels: ///
• Bladder: ///
• Intimate sensations: ///

  Last update: 23 June 2009