The Accident
Twenty-five-year-old James Murtha was mountain biking with friends in Snowmass when he lost control of his bike, fell down a small slope and landed on his head.
An Emergency Medical Technician, James instantly knew something was very wrong. “I couldn’t feel my arms and legs,” he said. “[I knew] I had broken my neck and was paralyzed… and that it was permanent.”
After three and a half weeks in intensive care, James was admitted to Craig Hospital with three fractured vertebrae (one of which was “completely obliterated”) and spinal cord damage around C3 and C4. He had a feeding tube and had not eaten solid foods or showered for almost a month. James had suffered an incomplete spinal cord injury, was breathing through a ventilator, unable to move his legs and barely able to move his arms or fingers.
He began rehabilitation with basic sensation and motion tests; his physical therapy involved standing frame and FES bikes and stretching machine exercises. He relearned how to manage daily living tasks like feeding himself and, he adds, “combing my mustache, which has since been removed, God rest its soul.”
Art as Motivator
Meanwhile, James became good friends with other patients. One friend started painting to help regain some upper arm strength. James mentioned this to his occupational therapist and, being an artist herself, Sarah “lit up with excitement,” James said. “She made a tireless effort to make sure I’d be able to do this with the best of my ability.”
He began to paint using his arm and adaptive paintbrushes. He sits completely upright while he works, which strengthens his neck muscles and improves posture. James is surprised by the satisfaction he feels when he finished a painting. One of his pieces won a competition to represent Craig’s thirty sixth annual Hobie Day, annual event that brings the entire hospital staff and about 50 patients a year out for a day of boating.
“Art really motivated him,” said Sarah Harrison, MS, OT. “[It] gave him a goal, a creative outlet. As Occupational Therapists, we want to do things that are meaningful to our patients, so art was just a really good way to motivate him.”
Going Further
James is now living in Ann Arbor, Michigan where he continues outpatient rehabilitation and is studying to become a counselor. Physically, James has made tremendous gains. He is now able to lift both arms. His triceps are slowly beginning to fire again, and while his wrists, fingers and legs are still not functioning, he’s still working hard to rehabilitate, calling the movement he has an “invaluable gift.”
James believe in the power of visualizing movement in the affected areas as he works to improve movement, and he said his friendships with fellow patients, his care team and the support of his family helped him know in his lowest moments that he wasn’t alone.
James said, “Every one of the people [who supported me] were invaluable in giving me the confidence and the motivation to work hard with what was, and work toward what could be.”
What does he want other people in rehabilitation to know? He acknowledges that not everyone has the same level of resources he has had, but adds that even so, “You can go further than you imagine,” he said. “Most of all, don’t give up. Ever.”
Team Members
Joe Fangman
Physical therapist
Sarah Horan
Occupational therapist
Every one of the people [who supported me] were invaluable in giving me the confidence and the motivation to work hard with what was, and work toward what could be.
James Murtha
Learn more about Jame’s Programs and Services
Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation and Treatment
SCI treatment and rehabilitation at Craig focuses on aggressively working with patients physically and psychologically, so that in a short period of time patients can maximize their neurological recovery and general health.
Physical Therapy
The goal of physical therapy at Craig is to promote functional independence and mobility, customized to each patient’s individual needs.
Occupational Therapy
At Craig, occupational therapy focuses on maximizing independence in daily living skills.