“Prior to the opening of NeuroMoves most of our
clients had nowhere to go. Or, if they did access
specialised exercise services, it was in Sydney or
Brisbane and this access was sporadic and provided
minimal benefits to client recovery,” exercise therapist
Sam Mitchell said.
NeuroMoves Lismore is the first regional NSW site
and is accessed by 30 active clients each week.
“The opening of this site means our clients can access
and participate in an ongoing intensive program;
we’re really seeing the significant difference a regular
program can make to our clients and, beyond the
individual, it’s reducing the stigma around people with
disability in the community,” Sam said.
Clients participate in supervised gym visits or intensive
one-on-one sessions with exercise therapists—which
may include Functional Electrical Stimulation in
conjunction with using equipment.
“Reducing travel time and distance-related expenses
has enabled us to develop individualised and regular
programs with our clients,” Sam said.
“We have actually had clients who haven’t
participated in a formal exercise or therapy program
since being discharged from hospital, simply due
to the distance of travel to a service. They’re now
participating in a regular program and the benefits
they’re seeing are incredible.”
James Murphy who is in his early 20s is a current
client who uses the services. James sustained
a C5 complete quadriplegia following a 2016
mountain bike accident on his parent’s farm at
Eureka, in the NSW Northern Rivers.
Following a long recovery at Royal North Shore Hospital
in Sydney, James returned home just before his 22nd
birthday in late 2016.
Since coming home, James has been a regular client
of NeuroMoves for exercise therapy and credits the
access to regular exercise within a specialist centre
that’s close to home with his significant progress.
“One of my goals when I came home was to change
from a power chair to a manual chair,” James said.
“A year ago I wasn’t able to get my hand over my
head, but after the regular exercise at NeuroMoves,
I’m now in a manual chair and it’s made such a big
difference. It’s easier for me in a public setting and
I find I’m more comfortable around people than
I was in the power chair.”