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Frequently Asked Questions

Table of contents
Uniqueness of the FSWC Program
Q1 : Why is the FSWC program unique?
A1 : The FSWC program is unique because it:
  • was developed especially for regaining lost functions after the spinal cord injuries and uses original workouts and specialized equipment suitable for that purpose,
  • has shown its effectiveness for more than a decade,
  • makes it possible for clients to continue training after the end of the rehabilitation program,
  • is executed by specially trained and qualified personnel who know the unique requirements related to spinal cord injuries.
Q2 : What’s the difference between the FSWC program and traditional or conventional rehab?
A2 : Since our goal is to restore or create function, most of the participant's time at the FSWC will be spent working below the level of injury. The FSWC’s most radical characteristic is the quantity of the therapy hours. We operate under the assumption that in order for adaptation to occur on the scale that we are looking to achieve our clients need to train like Olympic level athletes. The amount of time a participant will spend with one or more therapists at FSWC will be one of the largest differences he/she will notice. It is in no way a substitute for rehabilitation like physical therapy and occupational therapy, which are absolutely necessary after paralysis.
Q3 : If the FSWC program is so effective, why has it not been used under the health care system rehabilitation program?
A3 : The health care system allows people who have sustained a spinal cord injury to reach a predefined level of functionality based on the type of injury, while the FSWC program focuses on each one's potential and this requires more time and intensity.   
​Q4 : What's the difference between the FSWC program and fitness gyms that are accessible to the people with reduced mobility?
​A4 : The main objective of our program is to help paraplegics, quadriplegics and people with other neurological disorders to regain a maximum of motor functions. We focus on the body parts which do not work. In Québec, our staff members with kinesiology degrees are the only specialists of the program established for more than ten years specifically designed for spinal cord injury recovery purposes. Through a specific on-site training at the FSWC in Regina, our staff is highly qualified in the area of secondary health problems related to spinal cord injury, including autonomic dysreflexia and orthostatic hypotension.
Method
Q1 : How does the First Steps program work?
A1 : We use specially designed exercise programs to stimulate the body below the level of injury. As well, we have specialized equipment designed for people with spinal cord injuries and applied by therapists with significant knowledge of spinal cord lesions. 
Q2 : Who are the personnel involved?
A2 : The Activity-based therapy program is delivered by our kinesiologists who have at least an undergraduate degree in kinesiology or its equivalent. The kinesiologist, a physical activity specialist, uses movement for prevention, treatment and performance purposes. His or her intervention focuses on the functional aspects of the patient's adaptation and rehabilitation. His preferred means of action is physical activity based on a personalized approach. In Quebec, kinesiologists are recognized as health professionals.

All our kinesiologists have completed the ABT training offered by FSWC Régina and the Therasuit® Method training offered by their accredited trainer.

Some of our kinesiologists also attended the MNRI® Dynamic and Postural Reflex Integration course offered by the Svetlana Masgutova Educational Institute.​
Q3 : What is their education and training background?
A3 : Kinesiologists, first of all, have a minimum of university undergraduate degree. Then, our kinesiologists follow an intensive on-site training at the FSWC in Regina who is the Canadian pioneer in the field of intensive activity-based therapy programs for people living with spinal cord injuries.

All our kinesiologists have also completed training for the Therasuit® Method. We are the only Therasuit®-certified center in Quebec and the Maritimes. 

Some of our kinesiologists also attended the MNRI® Dynamic and Postural Reflex Integration course offered by the Svetlana Masgutova Educational Institute.​
Q4 : What frequency of training sessions do you recommend?
A4 : It depends on the capacity of muscle responses to the activities. For SCI clients, often we recommend 10 to 15 hours per week at the beginning especially for those with a higher injury level. However, between 6 to 10 hours per week would be better for those who have better response in order not to have too much fatigue.

For thoses who have other neurological conditions, it is difficult to determine what your program at FSWC will look like before an assessment.
Q5 : Does a participant need to be at the FSWC facility?
A5 : Yes.  How often one comes into the facility and how much work one puts in will all contribute to how much progress one ultimately makes. Sherbrooke has one of the lowest living costs of all the cities in Canada and it is also popular with top level para-athletes like our board member, Ms. Diane Roy, six-time consecutive Paralympian who has moved there because of the favorable living environment. Please see useful links to start our programs.
Q6 : Is the program safe?
A6: The FSWC program is safe and has had zero accidents with clients or staff since its opening of the first FSWC Centre in Regina in 2010. We are organized so that safety is a priority for everyone. In fact, our employees know how to react safely to situations that could cause problems.
Improvements
Q1 : Spinal cord injuries : Can one walk again?
A1 : There is no realistic way to predict how much function can be regained, who can regain the ability to walk again. But at FSWC, we have seen clients who realized that. One thing in common to them is that it is not a miracle, but it is a result of their hard work, determination and efforts made throughout the intensive program over several months, not after one day of passive treatment. Please refer to the videos and testimonials of some clients' amazing stories.
Q2 : How much progress should one expect to make?
A2 : Unfortunately, there is no real way of telling. However, we do know that the sooner the program is started, the younger one is, the more work one puts into it and how motivated one is to do the exercises both at our facility and at home, the more progress one will see.
Q3 : What does increasing the level of mobility below the injury mean?
A3 : 94% of FSWC's clients regain some form of mobility below their level of injury. These improvements range from improving the motor function of abdominal and postural muscles that assist with sitting stability to voluntary contraction of large muscle groups in the legs and everything in between. The amount of improvement that one sees will depend on several variables such as the level and severity of the injury, one's current fitness level, and the amount of time spent working on one's functional goals.
Q4 : Can you give me an example of increased mobility?
A4 : Increased mobility can mean anything from walking again to regaining function in the arms. For example, one of the FSWC Regina clients was a complete quadriplegic and has now regained movement in her arms and is able to feed herself without assistance. This is a major improvement in her quality of life.
Q5 : How long does it take to see improvement?
A5 : This depends on the severity of the injury, the age of the person injured, how motivated the client is and other factors. However, most research is indicating that the first six months following an injury is when a majority of changes occur so the time from injury to therapy is a factor as well. Typically significant improvements will be seen sometime near the end of the third to sixth month of therapy assuming that attendance is somewhere in the neighborhood of 10-15 hours/week.
​Q6 : What improvements other than improving mobility can be seen?
A6 : Many people have seen the improvements in:
  • blood circulation,
  • muscular mass,
  • trunk stability,
  • ​orthostatic hypotension,
  • autonomy in the activities of daily life,
  • ​psychological well-being,
and the reductions in:
  • pressure sores,
  • visits to the hospital,
  • muscle spasms, and other health problems related to spinal cord injury.
Regardless of future treatment methods, all newly-developed treatment protocols will depend on working with the client in their current condition. So it is important for people with spinal cord injury to try to prevent atrophy and increase or maintain their optimal overall physical condition. Any future treatment breakthroughs will inevitably be dependent on the level of injury and the amount of atrophy that has taken place.
Q7 : Do you have references?
A7 : Yes we do – please check our videos. If you wish, we can also put you in contact with some of our clients.​
Enrollment
Q1 : When does one begin a program with FSWC?
A1 : We recommend beginning our program directly after the leave from the rehabilitation program under the health care system. The sooner one starts, there will be less muscle atrophy and bone density loss which facilitates to follow our rigorous intensive exercise program including weight bearing.

​Starting right after the rehabilitation program would be a great time to remap your future while regaining as much motor function as possible, meeting the other people with other spinal cord injuries to encourage each other in a positive environment. However, the effectiveness of the activity-based program has been proven for those with chronical spinal cord injuries.
Q2 : What type of people would like the FSWC program?
A2 : Anyone who is motivated, likes physical activities, wants to find a place where he/she can work hard toward their goals with a positive environment with positive people, or if one feels weak and wants to regain their strength, FSWC Québec is the place to go. One can find other people with similar injuries to encourage each other and go on each other's journey together.
Q3 : How can one begin the FSWC program?
A3 : Plase send us two forms bellow:
Once we have received all documents, we will put your on our waiting list and a member of our staff will contact you. 
​Q4 : Are there any other resources to help me get started?
A4: You can consult our useful links.

Indirect impact of the progra​m

Reduction of the financial burden on our governments
Concrete examples of secondary impacts obtained by this program thanks to the improvements made by Mr. Chris Lesanko, the founder of FSWC Regina:
​
He replaced his electric wheelchair with a manual wheelchair. This transition helped him improve his cardio and avoid cardiovascular problems, which are the leading cause of death in acute and chronic phases after a spinal cord injury.*1
improvements made by the founder of FSWC Regina
Mr. Chris Lesanko
He gained 80% sensation in his body, all the way to his feet. This improvement gives him the ability to feel if there is too much pressure on one side of his seat and correct his positioning.

​This can reduce the risk of a pressure wound that affects 95% of people with spinal cord injuries in their lifetime. *2

Being quadriplegic, he had a reduced respiratory function that caused respiratory complications and pneumonia, which required him to be hospitalized regularly. Now, as he has gained strength and muscular control, he can cough more easily, allowing him to fight better lung infections that are one of the leading causes of death*3, and to reduce the number of hospitalizations that is 2.6 times more frequent than the general population's. *4

And what about the impact on morale. Being able to get out of his home, to pursue his goals and to exchange with others helps to maintain good morale. It thus avoids the problems of depression that 20-30% of people with a spinal cord injury have, symptoms that are clinically significant in this case. *5​​

He gained a high level of trunk stability, which has a significant impact on improving autonomy. He can sit alone and manipulate objects at the same time.
​
​​He regained the use of both arms and reduced his need for assistance from 24 to 6 hours a day.
Our program reduces the severity of the impact of the spinal cord injury. Thus, besides improving the mobility, independence and the quality of life of those living with spinal cord injuries, we create the possibility of reducing the costs to themselves, their family and the spinal cord injury related health care costs to the province of Québec, which is estimated to be 822 million dollars per year *6 and 2.7 billion per year *7 for the Canadian government.

Using Quebec data, Radhakrishna, Makriyianni, Marcoux, and Zhang (2014) concluded from their research that '' measures taken to reduce the severity of spinal cord injury could result in significant cost savings” based on the higher health care costs of patients with more severe injuries who are more vulnerable to secondary health conditions that result in prolonged hospital stays. For example, they found that the cost of C1–C7 complete spinal cord injuries in the first year after injury was $157,718 compared to the cost of an incomplete C1-C7 injury, which was $56,505.'' *8
References:
*1 Furlan JC, Bracken MB, Fehlings MG. Is age a key determinant of mortality and neurological outcome after acute traumatic spinal cord injury? Neurobiology of Aging. 2010;31(3)434-46.
*2 Krause JS, Saunders LL. Health, secondary conditions, and life expectancy after SCI. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2011;92(11):1770-5.
*3 http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/94190/9789241564663_eng.pdf?sequence=1
*4 Dryden DM1, Saunders LD, Rowe BH, May LA, Yiannakoulias N, Svenson LW, Schopflocher DP, Voaklander DC. Utilization of health services following spinal cord injury: a 6-year follow-up study
*5 http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/94190/9789241564663_eng.pdf?sequence=1
*6 Institut Rick Hansen
*7 Institut Rick Hansen  
*8 Victoria Tara, Tami Moffatt, Derrick Callan, Linden Wilkins, Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy
Change of  the perception
We keep the public informed of the recovery potential of people living with spinal cord injuries through the FSWC Program. By changing perceptions and by obtaining formal recognition that there are other approaches like ours, which are safe and effective options, people with new spinal cord injuries could be informed of our program at the optimum time so that they can make informed decisions about their choice of a complementary program during their in-house rehabilitation program.
Creation of new rewarding job
We also create new kinds of rewarding full-time job opportunities for kinesiologists. Our kinesiologists will be the key people who can make life-changing improvements for people living with spinal cord lesions. By going through the recovery journey with highly motivated people for a long time, it could also be a life-changing opportunity for these kinesiologists.
Science & research
Q1 : What is neuroplasticity?
A1 : Research has shown that the nervous system can regain function even after a severe injury. This is referred to as neuroplasticity and simply means that the central nervous system is not hard-wired but is able to find a way to rebuild itself to some degree even after severe injuries.​
Q2 : Are these programs scientifically validated?
A2 :Yes, the underlying concept is that the body will find a way to adapt if it is placed under the appropriate stress. A growing body of scientific evidence points to the exact processes involved. While the physiological mechanisms are still being studied, the results are apparent – if you stimulate the body below the level of injury with exercise, the body will adapt and a level of function will be regained. If not, the muscles and the nerves atrophy and after a period of time it is virtually impossible to make any progress.Think of this in terms of adaptation. If a professional athlete was to stop training and take a year off, it is unlikely he or she could resume being an athlete the next day. Or astronauts who spend time in space, when they return to Earth they are very de-conditioned and have a loss of bone density and muscle mass, so they must re-train that. Similar concepts apply to increasing function in a person who has a spinal cord injury, if one works hard and forces adaptation then changes can occur in the body; however if the person does not take part in any activity they will continue to atrophy. 
FSWC continues to develop, monitor and apply the latest research to our exercise programs. Instead of waiting until for the day when future treatment breakthroughs become available outside of the clinical trials for everyone, we are implementing right now a safe exercised-based program which has been shown to have great efficacy in improving the level of motor function and in providing a better quality of life for those living with spinal cord injuries.  
Regardless of future treatment methods, all newly-developed treatment protocols will depend on working with the client in their current condition. So it is important for people with spinal cord injury to try to prevent atrophy and increase or maintain their optimal overall physical conditions. 
References
About donations
Q1 : How can I make a donation?
A1 : The easiest way to support the FSWC Quebec initiative is by making an online donation using a credit or a debit card.​
Note: For debit cards, the donation platform only accepts Visa or Mastercard debit cards.
Q2 : Are there other ways to donate?
A2 : You can make a donation by Interac transfer to [email protected] if you have access to the online or mobile banking services of a participating financial institution. You can also send your donation by cheque or money order, along with the donation form, to FSWC Québec.

We also accept donations of securities. In Canada, publicly traded securities transferred directly to a charity are exempt from capital gains tax. In addition, you will receive a tax receipt for the value of the securities at the time of donation. It is so simple! You can do so by accessing the CanadaHelp.org website, detailing the titles to be given and specifying the beneficiary organization "Québec Adapted training Centre FSWC".  *CanadaHelps will issue your receipt and deposit the donation into our bank account.
Q3 : Why should I support FSWC Quebec?
A3 :
​a) FSWC Quebec can alleviate the actual gap of not having access to a long term program, specialized in improving the mobility and quality of life of spinal cord injured people and people living with other neurological disorders.

b) FSWC Quebec is the only charitable organization in the province that can provide this type of service, based on a well-proven method ongoing for more than 10 years. This program is developed with the help of our cooperation partner First Steps Wellness Centre, a charitable organization in Saskatchewan that is also the Canadian pioneer in this field.

c) ​ As a charitable organization, our business model is to offer our programs at the lowest cost possible and we are counting on donations from our supporters to maintain this rate reduction.

d) Thanks to your donations, FSWC Quebec will be able to serve more people with neurological conditions, both adults and children.  

d) Lean Management: Our organization benefits from the support of many volunteers who are willing to give their time to the cause to cover all administrative tasks.

Your donation can change the future! Thank you for your donation!
Recognize potential, ​not limits...
​Q 4 : How will donations be used?
A 4 : ​Your continued support is an invaluable help to cover a maximum of the operation costs of this program, in order to make it the most affordable possible for the participants in the long run who, for maximized results, will have to take part in an intensive way.
Q 5 : Can I receive an official receipt for tax purposes?
A 5 : Yes.  FSWC Québec has been granted registered charity status with the Canada Revenue Agency since February 26, 2020.
Others
Q1 : Is service fee covered by insurance?
A1 : Some companies cover the services executed by kinesiologists.​
Q2 : How do FSWC clients (Regina, Winnipeg, Sherbrooke) raise their program fee for such a long term?
A2 : Most of them do fundraising activities with their family and friends or use crowdfunding. Since their improvements are so visible to others, FSWC clients say that people are very supportive providing financial support for a long period if it means the person is gaining mobility and quality of life. FSWC will continue to support this program by operating as a not-for-profit, to keep program fee as low as possible.

You can also visit this link to find financial support programs.
Partagez et suivez-nous!
 
​Reconnaître le potentiel,​ non les limites... 
​​​FSWC Québec
partenaire de First Steps Wellness Centre, Regina
Numéro de charité: 778207530RR0001
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​Recognize potential, ​not limits...
​​FSWC Québec
Partner of First Steps Wellness Centre, Regina
Charitable Registration Number : 778207530RR0001
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