Spinal cord injury

Rehabilitation for spinal cord injury, Sydney

Spinal cord injury

Monday to Friday - 8:00am to 5:00pm

Get in touch

1800 518 180

Rehabilitation that’s tailored to you

Living with or recovering from a spinal cord injury can look different for everyone. The effects vary depending on the type and location of the injury, the severity, and each person’s life stage and individual circumstances.

At Royal Rehab LifeWorks Ryde, we take a collaborative, personalised approach. Backed by deep expertise and access to cutting-edge rehabilitation technology, our team works closely with you to understand your unique needs, create a tailored plan, and deliver the right support—whether you’re focusing on rehabilitation or symptom management—so you can live well, your way.

Rehabilitation targets

Mobility and balance

Enhance ability to stand, walk, and manage the risk of falling.

Muscle strength

Build and maintain strength to support overall physical function.

Fatigue

Implement strategies to improve energy levels and endurance.

Arm and hand use

Increase use and strength of upper limbs.

Swallowing difficulties

Reduce the risk of choking and ensure safe, enjoyable eating and drinking.

Speech and communication

Develop clearer and more effective communication skills.

Nutritional support

Optimise diet, where necessary including advice on enteral feeding.

Cognitive function

Enhance memory and problem-solving abilities.

Independence

Enhance independence through home modifications, adaptive equipment, and assistive technologies.

Your program may include

Neurological physiotherapy

By focusing on neuroplasticity, movement, strength, and everyday function, our physiotherapists support recovery with targeted techniques.

Task-specific training: Practising real-life movements to retrain the brain, helping with walking, siting, standing, and moving independently.
Building strength: Tailored exercises strengthen weakened muscles, improving stability and preventing further strength loss.
Enhancing balance and coordination: Specialised exercises improve balance and coordination, reducing the risk of falls and improving ability to engage in functional tasks.
Improving arm and hand function: Strengthening and coordination exercises help restore movement and dexterity in affected limbs.
Managing muscle stiffness: Stretching and positioning techniques help reduce tightness and improve comfort.
Reducing pain: Physiotherapy helps alleviate joint and muscle pain caused by imbalances or improper movement.
Preventing complications: Regular movement and therapy help reduce the risk of issues like pressure sores, contractures, and blood clots.
Boosting confidence and wellbeing: Achieving progress through physiotherapy can enhance self-esteem and overall quality of life.

Occupational therapy

By focusing on practical skills and adaptive strategies, occupational therapists empower you to navigate daily challenges more effectively.

Enhancing independence: Learn new techniques to perform everyday activities such as dressing, cooking, and bathing with greater ease.
Improving arm and hand function: Strengthening and coordination exercises help restore movement and dexterity in affected limbs.
Enhancing vision and perception: Techniques and adaptive strategies can help manage visual impairments and spatial awareness challenges.
Adapting to your environments: Therapists provide recommendations for home modifications, such as grab bars or adaptive equipment, to improve safety and accessibility.
Conserving energy and managing fatigue: Learn strategies to pace activities, conserve energy, and prevent overexertion.
Returning to work and community activities: Tailored strategies help individuals regain skills needed for work, hobbies, and social engagement.

Speech pathology

Neurological conditions can affect the ability to speak, understand language, and even swallow. Speech therapy plays a vital role in helping individuals regain these essential skills, improving both independence and quality of life.

Improving communication skills: Help express thoughts more clearly, understand spoken language, and engage in meaningful conversations. This may involve exercises to improve word retrieval, sentence structure, pronunciation, and overall clarity.
Managing aphasia: Aphasia affects the ability to speak, read, write, or understand language. Speech therapy provides structured exercises to strengthen these skills, helping individuals communicate more effectively.
Dysphagia treatment (swallowing support): Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) is common after a stroke and can lead to choking or aspiration pneumonia. Speech therapists assess swallowing function and provide targeted exercises to strengthen throat and mouth muscles, making eating and drinking safer and more comfortable.
Learning alternative communication strategies: If verbal speech remains difficult, therapists introduce alternative methods such as picture boards, gestures, or assistive communication devices to help individuals express themselves in new ways.
Cognitive rehabilitation: Communication is closely linked to cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and problem-solving. Speech therapy can incorporate cognitive exercises to help individuals improve thinking and language skills, supporting everyday interactions.
Enhancing emotional wellbeing and confidence: Losing the ability to communicate can be frustrating and isolating. Speech therapy not only restores language skills but also helps rebuild confidence, reducing feelings of frustration and improving social engagement.

Hydrotherapy

Hydrotherapy, or aquatic therapy, is highly beneficial in neurological rehab due to the buoyancy and warmth of water.

Increasing muscle strength: Water resistance naturally provides a form of resistance during movement, helping to build muscle strength in weakened areas, even for individuals with limited mobility.
Enhancing range of motion: The warm temperature of the water helps relax muscles and reduce stiffness, promoting greater joint mobility and flexibility.
Reducing pain: The soothing warmth of the water can alleviate muscle pain and spasms, helping to relax the body and reduce discomfort.
Improving gait and walking ability: Practicing walking in water can help you relearn proper gait patterns and improve walking ability by offering a low-impact way to work on movement.
Proprioceptive training: The water provides sensory input, enhancing body awareness, which is often impaired due to neurological injury or condition, helping you regain a better sense of movement and positioning.
Enhancing cardiovascular health: Aquatic exercises improve cardiovascular fitness, supporting overall physical recovery and stamina.
Enhancing mental wellbeing: The supportive, weightless environment of water can boost confidence and motivation, helping you maintain a positive mindset throughout your rehabilitation journey.
Reducing spasticity: The buoyancy and resistance of water can help manage muscle spasticity (muscle tightness), by providing gentle movement and reducing strain.

Dietetics

Addressing nutritional needs, promoting recovery, and supporting long-term health, our dietitians play a key role in neurological rehabilitation through personalised dietary strategies.

Supporting brain recovery: Nutrient-rich diets help fuel brain healing and support neuroplasticity.
Managing swallowing difficulties (dysphagia): Dietitians work with speech pathologists to modify food textures and ensure safe, enjoyable eating.
Preventing malnutrition: Individualised plans help maintain weight, energy levels, and muscle mass during recovery.
Blood sugar control: Nutrition strategies help manage diabetes or fluctuating blood sugar levels that may impact recovery.
Addressing appetite and taste changes: Tailored advice helps navigate changes in hunger or taste sensitivity.
Supporting bowel health: Diet can help manage common issues like constipation through fibre, fluids, and meal planning.
Encouraging independence: Dietitians provide practical tips for meal preparation, food choices, and grocery shopping to support daily living skills.
Improving overall wellbeing: A balanced, enjoyable diet contributes to mood, energy, and motivation throughout the rehabilitation journey.

Exercise physiology

Using tailored, evidence-based movement programs, our exercise physiologists focus on rebuilding strength, restoring function, and improving overall health and wellbeing.

Enhancing physical function: Structured exercise helps regain mobility, endurance, and independence in daily activities.
Improving cardiovascular health: Aerobic exercise supports heart and lung function.
Building strength and endurance: Targeted resistance training combats muscle weakness and fatigue.
Enhancing balance and coordination: Exercises are designed to improve stability, reducing falls and promoting safer movement.
Supporting neuroplasticity: Repetitive, meaningful movement patterns help the brain rewire and adapt.
Managing fatigue: Graded exercise programs are designed to improve energy levels and reduce fatigue.
Addressing chronic conditions: Programs consider co-existing conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, or obesity.
Encouraging long-term self-management: Education and home-based exercise plans empower individuals to maintain their progress.
Boosting mood and motivation: Physical activity supports mental health, confidence, and a sense of control over recovery.

Adaptive recreation

Adaptive recreation promotes physical activity, social connection, and enjoyment through modified leisure and community-based activities.

Encouraging physical activity: Recreational activities are adapted to improve mobility, strength, and overall fitness in a fun, engaging way.
Rebuilding confidence: Participation in enjoyable, achievable activities fosters independence and a sense of accomplishment.
Supporting social connection: Group-based programs help reduce isolation and promote peer support and community engagement.
Enhancing emotional wellbeing: Leisure activities provide purpose, reduce stress, and support positive mental health.
Improving coordination and motor skills: Recreational tasks like art, games, or sport-based activities help refine fine and gross motor function.
Fostering inclusion: Activities are tailored to individual abilities, ensuring everyone can participate meaningfully and safely.
Promoting lifelong habits: Encourages sustainable engagement in healthy recreation and leisure beyond the rehab setting.
Exploring new interests: Adaptive recreation provides opportunities to discover new hobbies and redefine life post-stroke.
Integrating into the community: Programs help individuals access inclusive community facilities and events with confidence.

Driving assessments

Our driver-trained occupational therapists assess and support individuals in safely returning to, continuing, or beginning to drive, with personalised strategies and training.

Assessing driving ability: Comprehensive evaluations identify how your condition has affected the physical and cognitive skills needed for safe driving.
Rebuilding confidence: Practical support and gradual exposure help reduce anxiety and rebuild self-assurance behind the wheel.
Tailoring interventions: Individualised programs may include in-vehicle assessments or off-road testing.
Recommending modifications: Advice on vehicle modifications (either to support vehicle access as a passenger or to return to driving a vehicle) ensures comfort, safety, and ease of use
Supporting decision-making: Clear guidance helps individuals and families make informed, safe choices about continuing or returning to driving.
Liaising with medical and licensing authorities: Assisting with documentation and communication for fitness-to-drive determinations.
Providing alternative transport solutions: If driving is no longer safe, therapists can help explore other mobility and transport options.
Promoting long-term road safety: Ongoing support focuses on maintaining safe driving habits and responding to any future changes in ability.

Home modifications

Tailored home modifications that improve safety, accessibility, and independence for people living recovering from a neurological condition.

Expert guidance and home assessment: Your Occupational Therapist will conduct a thorough review of your home to identify areas that may benefit from modification. They will then arrange a joint visit with a qualified builder. Together, they will collaborate with you to explore feasible modifications and ensure proposed changes align with your personal needs and goals.
Support with funding and installation: We will provide recommendations for the required home modifications, including preparing drawings and detailed reports to support applications to relevant funding bodies.

Sexuality services

Our sexuality services provide compassionate, expert support for people with disability, navigating challenges around sex, intimacy, and relationships.

Dating and intimacy: Support for navigating relationships and intimacy after illness, injury, or disability.
Online safety: Learn how to stay safe while dating online, including tips on cyber safety.
Consent and respectful relationships: Understand the importance of consent and how to build healthy, respectful connections.
Sexuality and identity: Explore and express your sexual orientation and gender identity in a supportive environment.
Body awareness & skills: Develop greater body awareness and learn practical skills for more enjoyable sexual experiences and relationships.
Exploring sexual interests: Safely explore your desires, interests, fantasies, and fetishes without judgment.
Sexual health: Get information on STIs and learn about safer sex practices.
Performance anxiety: Work through concerns around sexual performance and build confidence.
Connecting with specialist services: While we do not offer sex work services, we may be able to help connect you with appropriate and respectful providers that meet the needs of people with disability.

Upper limb program

Our upper limb program offers a comprehensive and evidence-based approach, combining therapy and advanced technology to help you maintain strength, function, and independence in your arms and hands for as long as possible.

Movement retraining: Hands-on support from your therapist to improve range of motion to allow for more functional use of your upper limbs including improved ability to grasp and release objects.
Strength building: Exercises to strengthen upper limb muscles, including gym programs.
Repetitive task practice: Repeating parts of a movement and practicing the full task you’re working towards.
Advanced technologies: Use of advanced technology devices including end effector, exoskeleton, virtual reality and sensor-based devices to allow for high repetition of supported movements. The advanced tech devices improve engagement through gamification.
Electrical stimulation: Using devices like Neurotrac and Xcite to activate and strengthen muscles.
Electromyography: Using devices like Luna EMG to monitor electrical signals and trigger upper limb movements.
Equipment prescription: This can include adaptive equipment such as cutlery or supportive equipment like a sling or a splint.
Education and pain management: Learning strategies to avoid unhelpful habits, improve positioning, and manage pain.
Carer involvement: Training for your support worker or family member to help you continue therapy at home.