Ataxia and Skateboarding

My husband and son have been relearning/learning how to skateboard. They have been leaving a board in the living room so they can practice their balance and small tricks.

I got on it yesterday when no one else was home. And you know what? It wasn’t what I expected.

I found myself using the same coping movements and muscles that I use on a bad ataxia day. I’m thinking of continuing to practice and then surprising them one day that I can skateboard with them. Who knows, maybe it’ll help me.

Has anyone else gotten on a skateboard with ataxia?

I wouldn’t even have tried before ataxia!! But I’m a chicken. But when I had knee replacements, I had to use a balance board in rehab and it did actually help a bit. I was going to buy one to use at home…but it never happened. I guess I still could…:thinking::thinking:

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:woozy_face: I can almost predict what would happen if I took one foot off the floor, and put it on a skateboard… But, not everyone’s ataxia has exactly the same challenges, and we’re not all at the same stage of progression. So…enjoy :slightly_smiling_face:

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If you can do it safely, do it!
The progression accelerated as I couldn’t exercise during the time I was fighting cancer.

Yeah, it IS like a balance board!

I can’t tell you guys how many times I’ve been told that I can’t improve at all. It’s utter BS. Pushing myself during good days does pay off on bad days.

I’ll just get a lot of padding if I can get good enough to get off the rug and onto real ground.

Very interesting! I find with SCA6 that if I try something new, I am slower to learn than other people but with persistence I can usually eventually do it. I have made an effort to keep as mobile as possible. I was diagnosed early (since my father had SCA6) so I’ve continued playing tennis and going running as before. I’m a great believer in the idea that the brain is plastic and that other neurons kick in to take over from the ones that are damaged. It’s just that you’ve got to keep them working hard!

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I have SCA 6. And so did my father. I am 67 now although my symptoms began 10–15 years ago. Running or playing tennis are a thing of the past. Although exercises and retraining the brain to learn how to balance can slow the progression, I found the deterioration as inevitable. I find myself at the mercy of a miracle drug which can reverse some of the symptoms.