Originally Posted by
Happy Feet
That's good news about Rowan
Part of it is the mystery of TBI's; like strokes their recovery is highly individualized. Part of it could be your encouragement and because of his passion, an intrinsic motivation/work ethic to regain cycling. What part the Physio works on also depends. There are several theories on TBI recovery. Sometimes if they worry about it, they will focus on gross movement first, but if they expect that to return they may leapfrog to fine motor skills so the person doesn't lose too much in the interim. Some theory advocates making progress by encouraging incorrect compensatory movement while other theory rejects compensatory movement in favour of more correct movement, even if it takes longer. It's all very interesting stuff to study because the jury is still out on a lot of it. If he is making good progress then whatever is creating it is good stuff - if it works don't fix it!
Having read some of your exploits I also suspect there was more than
reasonable fitness to build upon
Okay, really half-baked armchair theorizing below. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
Very broadly speaking, there are what are called perishable skills (which fade without practice) and non-perishable skills which stay with us once learned. Riding a bike is, of course, the cliche example of a non-perishable skill. This makes me think that learning to ride a bike actually causes some permanent structural differences in the brain--in other words, we get "hard-wired" to do it. My extremely limited layman knowledge of brain science is that pathways that are used a lot actually get strengthened over time--these are actual, physically observable structural changes.
Rowan's wonderfully exceptional physical recovery has really got me wondering--are people like us who do long distance riding actually restructuring our brains, and do we underestimate the benefits of doing so?
@
Machka--being a relative newcomer to these parts, I don't know Rowan, but my best wishes and admiration to both of you! Hope you don't mind my possibly inane blathering.