After Danny Dean broke his neck eight years ago, he was only able to use 20 percent of his right side. Physical therapists told him whatever movement he regained in the next 18 months would be the most he would ever have. The former competitive wakeboarder became resigned to his fate.
Then his wife started doing CrossFit.
Thus far, there hasn’t been a week in which Dean hasn’t seen improvement under the watchful eye of CrossFit Forever Strong owner Jason Speck.
“Pathways that hadn’t been worked are starting to redevelop and starting to work again. Muscles that hadn’t known how to contract and how to pull are now contracting and pulling,” the coach says.
The two are focusing on seeing how much function they can create on Dean’s right side.
The 32-year-old says he’s never felt better since his accident.
“I had no set goals before,” he explains. “I kind of just resigned to modern medicine and technology to maybe save me one day. The outlook now on those sorts of things is totally changed. I do want to be 100 percent healthy again.”
Video by Carey Peterson.
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Additional reading: Training for Special Medical Populations: Cardiac Concerns by Jennifer McKenzie, published Aug. 1, 2008.