This is a question for all the long haired BPI's out there. I was discussing with some of my friends about my injury and they asked what the hardest thing about having to do everything with one arm is. To tell you the truth i couldn’t think of any really big things that i couldn’t do. We then started to brain storm what would be hard to do with one arm. Well we were wondering if it was hard or even possible to put in a ponytail at all. I argued that someone probably figured it out but my two other friends seem to think it is impossible. So is it possible to put a ponytail in your hair with one arm?
Thanks,
Andrew, complete TRBPI
Ponytail
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jennyb
- Posts: 1183
- Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2001 5:24 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: January 1980 Yamaha RD200 vs 16 wheeler truck, result, 1 totally paralysed right arm. I was 21, now 54. I had no surgery, I don't regret this. Decided to totally ignore limitations (easily done aged 21) adapted very quickly to one handed life, got married, had 3 kids, worked- the effect of the injury on my life (once the pain stopped being constant) was minimal and now, aged 54, I very rarely even think of it, unless I bash it or it gets cold, then I wish I'd had it amputated :) Except for a steering knob on my car, I have no adaptations to help with life, mainly because I honestly don't think of myself as disabled and the only thing I can't do is peel potatoes, which is definitely a good thing.
Re: Ponytail
I've never managed it one handed, I have very long hair. One of the guys that posts on the UK site does it with a door, it's under 'resources' http://www.tbpi-group.org/ I have never tried this, it looks painful :0) I do wish I could do a braid one handed, I don't know what I'll do when my daughters leave home..
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cbe411
- Posts: 1393
- Joined: Sun Jun 01, 2003 8:27 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: MVA in 2001, nerve graph in 2002, Median Nerve Transfer in 2004 and an unsuccessful Gracillis Muscle Transfer in 2006. I am living life and loving it! Feel free to contact me :)
- Location: Grosse Pointe Woods, MI
- Contact:
Re: Ponytail
Andrew, I have use of my hand, nothing else. But if I lay on the bed with my neck right on the edge of the bed with hair hanging ove, I can get mine up! I do like clips though, they are much easier!
COurt
COurt
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marieke
- Posts: 1627
- Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 6:00 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: LOBPI
no external rotation against gravity, can only go to 90 degree fwd flexion, no hand-to-mouth
1 surgery at age 14 (latissimus dorsi transfer). In 2004, at age 28 I was struck with Transverse Myelitis which paralyzed me from the chest down. I recovered movement to my right leg, but need a KAFO to walk on my left leg. I became an RN in 2008. - Location: Montreal, Qc, Canada
- Contact:
Re: Ponytail
I can't get my arm up to my head, so what I do is use my "good" hand to bring my BPI arm up to my head, then once there I rest it against my head and am able to use my hand to tie my hair up. I only figured this out when I was 12.
Marieke
Marieke
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Kath
- Posts: 3242
- Joined: Mon Nov 18, 2002 4:11 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: I am ROBPI, global injury, Horner's Syndrome. No surgery but PT started at 2 weeks old under the direction of New York Hospital. I wore a brace 24/7 for the first 11 months of my life. I've never let my injury be used as an excuse not to do something. I've approach all things, in life, as a challenge. I approach anything new wondering if I can do it. I tried so many things I might never have tried, if I were not obpi. Being OBPI has made me strong, creative, more determined and persistent. I believe that being obpi has given me a very strong sense of humor and compassion for others.
- Location: New York
Re: Ponytail
I use to wear my hair very long and I put my ponytail in exactly the same way Marike does. I was very young when I began to comb my own hair and would not let my mother help. I also had very curly hair so that was a bit of a problem
I also began to put my bpi arm up on a wall to hold it up and use it to hold a blow dryer to dry my hair.
I think with bpi injured people they all have a very strong desire to do things for themselves...
So, where there is a will, they will find a way.
Kath
I also began to put my bpi arm up on a wall to hold it up and use it to hold a blow dryer to dry my hair.
I think with bpi injured people they all have a very strong desire to do things for themselves...
So, where there is a will, they will find a way.
Kath
Kath robpi/adult
Kathleen Mallozzi
Kathleen Mallozzi
Re: Ponytail
my daughter is 8...she will hold her hair with her injured arm and do the moving of the ponytail holder with her right arm. she can do them where her pony tail is low on her neck.
Some things she wont be able to do...crab walk, close a bra behind her back, swing on monkey bars...but she will try anything. She loves soccer...
Some things she wont be able to do...crab walk, close a bra behind her back, swing on monkey bars...but she will try anything. She loves soccer...
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hope16_05
- Posts: 1670
- Joined: Tue Jul 01, 2003 11:33 am
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: 28 years old with a right obstetrical brachial plexus injury. 5 surgeries to date with pretty decent results. Last surgery resolved years of pain in my right arm however, I am beginning my journey with overuse in my left arm
- Location: Minnesota
- Contact:
Re: Ponytail
It is very possible to learn to put your hair up into a pony tail. It took my 17 and a half years to learn, but I finally did. I have to lay on my bed with my hair over the edge. I gather my hair withmy left (good) hand and use one finger of my right (injured) hand to hold the elastic band. Then I put the pony under my head to hold it so it does not fall out and gather again... The process repeats because I do three wraps.
to SpeelmanC:
it actually is possible to close a bra behing your back with one hand. I have figured this out. It is not easy but it is possible. I generally stand in a door frame to hold one side, then go from there. A slightly modifies crap walk is possible as well. All we have to do is find our own way. thats all.
Amy 18 ROBPI from MN
hope16_05@hotmail.com
to SpeelmanC:
it actually is possible to close a bra behing your back with one hand. I have figured this out. It is not easy but it is possible. I generally stand in a door frame to hold one side, then go from there. A slightly modifies crap walk is possible as well. All we have to do is find our own way. thats all.
Amy 18 ROBPI from MN
hope16_05@hotmail.com
Amy 28 years old ROBPI from MN
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jennyb
- Posts: 1183
- Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2001 5:24 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: January 1980 Yamaha RD200 vs 16 wheeler truck, result, 1 totally paralysed right arm. I was 21, now 54. I had no surgery, I don't regret this. Decided to totally ignore limitations (easily done aged 21) adapted very quickly to one handed life, got married, had 3 kids, worked- the effect of the injury on my life (once the pain stopped being constant) was minimal and now, aged 54, I very rarely even think of it, unless I bash it or it gets cold, then I wish I'd had it amputated :) Except for a steering knob on my car, I have no adaptations to help with life, mainly because I honestly don't think of myself as disabled and the only thing I can't do is peel potatoes, which is definitely a good thing.
Re: Ponytail
Andrew, it might be worth posting this on the trauma injured adults message board too-there are a lot more people posting over there with no use of one arm. I've also found good information on amputee websites (because basically we are in the same situation as an amputee). There are books too but the best information I've got has been from other people in my situation, and sometimes I figure out my own way.
If you do discover a better way than yeti's door thing, please let me know. I'd love to be able to do a ponytail, though frankly I was never much good at doing it even with 2 hands, so I'm not holding out much hope!
Jen NZ
If you do discover a better way than yeti's door thing, please let me know. I'd love to be able to do a ponytail, though frankly I was never much good at doing it even with 2 hands, so I'm not holding out much hope!
Jen NZ