Spinal cord injury (SCI) can be life-changing and affect mobility and overall well-being. Maintaining overall health is always essential for people with spinal cord injuries. That’s precisely where the maintenance health toolkit steps in.

The Health Maintenance Toolkit for people with SCI is a product of the SCI Wellness Project, a collaborative project between The University of Sydney, Royal Rehab, NSW Health Northern Sydney Local Health District, NSE Government Agency for Clinical Health and iCare. People with SCI, GPs and expert clinicians have been working together to develop the comprehensive toolkit based on professional and life-experienced knowledge. The core project team consisted of Professor James Middleton, Dr Mohit Arora and Professor Ashley Craig.  SCIA’s Policy and Advocacy Manager Tony Jones, has also contributed to this remarkable project.

People with spinal cord injuries often contend with complex health conditions. Beyond relying solely on experts and professionals, the toolkit empowers individuals to proactively manage their health-related needs, allowing them to take charge of their own care. With evidence-based information, practical tips, and helpful guides, the SCI health maintenance tool can efficiently help you manage your health across six critical areas: mental health, bladder, bowel, skin, pain and autonomic dysreflexia.

Each section of the toolkit is thoughtfully organized into six stages, guiding users through every step of the process:

• Understand your body, health and well-being.
• Prevent problems.
• Check if you have a problem.
• Check how severe the problem is.
• Manage problems.
• Track health patterns and issues.

You can select the area that aligns with your needs among the six modules. Additionally, downloadable PDF versions of the tools are available, ensuring easy access at any time.

• Mental health and well-being (PDF version)
• The bladder and its associated problems (PDF version)
• The bowel and its associated problems (PDF version)
• The skin and its associated problems (PDF version)
• Pain (PDF version)
• Autonomic Dysreflexia (PDF version)

You can also download the complete version of the SCI Health Maintenance Toolkit with all six modules above.

Beyond the six dedicated tools, the toolkit offers a quick and efficient method for identifying health problems, gauging their severity, and assessing their impact on daily life.

The Quick Check Tool covers four essential areas: bladder health, bowel health, skincare, and pain management.

It is designed to address one problem at a time. If you are experiencing more than one problem, the step can be repeated to fit your needs.

In addition to the Health Maintenance Tool, an SCI Health Toolkit app is available, providing convenient access to the Quick Check tool, health tracking and monitoring features, and more.