Page 18 - 2020 Summer CMTA Report

Adaptive Training for All Ages

BY SHELLY TAYLOR AND PAYTON RULE 2015. Thanks to Payton, the as Kimi got to know me, she
branch leader, I started going to switched the program to match
IMPROVED STRENGTH AND DASA personal training in 2016 my needs. One week I might have
STAMINA FOR SHELLY and I have seen improvement in a flare-up on one part of my body

rowing up, I could not under- my fitness. Of course, my HNPP and the next week on a different
stand why I was such a hasn’t gone away, but my strength part. Kimi and the other DASA
Gstumble bum, as people called and stamina have improved. trainers were patient and very
me. I was never good at sports Before DASA, I scheduled no knowledgeable about CMT. They
because my ankles sprained so eas- more than one doctor’s appoint- really listened to me so they could
ily. I was the last one to be picked ment per week, then had to rest set up the correct program for the
for any team in school PE and and recuperate the rest of the week time I was there.
running was very hard for me. because it took so much out of I have muscles now where I
Later, when I got married and had me. When I had a week without did not have any before. Yes, I
children, I began trying to find the appointments, I spent it in my have gained weight but it is mus-
cause of my athletic issues, and pajamas. I still have pajama days, cle that helps me to do more every
after many years I was diagnosed but not as often. day—blow drying my hair, brush-
with CMT/HNPP. Finally, I had a My DASA trainer, Kimi ing my teeth, walking through the
name for what was going on. Kemp, has helped me so much. It house without tipping over as
I first heard Payton Rule talk was tough to set up a program for much, doing a little cooking, get-
about the Disabled Athlete Sports me because I am a 67-year-old ting dressed mostly by myself and
Association for adaptive training at senior and my HNPP was even occasionally doing some
a St. Louis Branch meeting in progressing faster and farther. But chores around the house like dust-
ing, vacuuming and sweeping. My
legs are now strong enough that I
can turn over in bed, whereas
before I had to struggle using only
my arms. I am not as fatigued
when l travel. My quality of life
has improved immensely.
—Shelly Taylor

PAYTON’S POV:
WORKOUTS ENJOYABLE
AND EMPOWERING

have enjoyed playing sports and
staying active my whole life. My
ICMT 2E diagnosis at age 5 and
the resulting balance and strength
challenges did not stop my parents
from signing me up for a whole
host of sports including T-ball,
basketball and tennis. While I
absolutely loved playing these
sports and learned many impor-
tant life lessons, I struggled to play
competitively alongside people
without CMT.
My parents eventually came
Shelly Taylor works
out at DASA across an organization called the
Disabled Athlete Sports Associa-

18 THE CMTA REPORT SUMMER 2020