A unique program in Frisco is helping stroke survivors get back on their feet. It's a type of activity you'd normally see at a gym, but it's proving success as a body and brain workout.
Mike Jones, of Murphy, can't use the left side of his body, the result of a stroke three months ago.
That's why therapists help him strap on an unlikely tool rehab: boxing gloves.
"It sounded like a crazy idea!" said Jones.
Adaptive boxing is a new program at Baylor Scott and White Institute for Rehabilitation.
Patients recovering from neurological injuries, whether stroke or a traumatic brain injury, get a workout for their body and their mind.
"We started looking at things in the summertime of what can we do to offer more opportunities to our patients. We are always looking to be innovative,” said Melody Nagle, director of rehabilitation at Baylor Scott and White Institute for Rehabilitation.
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That's where Shawnee Harkins comes in. A few years ago she created an adaptive boxing program, called Neuro State of Mind, for private clients.
It was result of her own struggles to bounce back from a traumatic brain injury.
“I quietly used boxing to improve my cognitive function,” she said.
This is her first partnership with a major North Texas rehab center.
“When I call for something visually or auditory, they go through their memory processing of thinking, reasoning, comprehension, and applying action with that punch,” said Harkins.
After a few classes, Jones showed us how he is now able to move his left leg.
It's a big sign of improvement as he works toward getting his life back, one punch at a time.
