Thanks for posting this Joan.

I have no doubt that early intervention is the key. I think early "mobility" with having the right pain control so one can be mobile....whatever is neccessary given the specific situation, is the best thing.

I think one of the problems with rsd is that depending on what set off the rsd, some actually can't be all that mobile. Speaking from my own experience, I recall having a broken leg/ dislocated ankle, and not being able to have your "normal" cast on while it healed. (after an op to set it and add hardware lol) etc.) Ergo, bed rest for me for six weeks etc. No chance of being mobile then. That darn rsd really got entrenched then I bet. About two months after that break and op, I went off to "physical therapy". (oh yes during that two months the med people in charge then were aware of rsd) Perhaps then those people didn't know about some stuff re rsd. In any case I was given hot baths vs cold/ice baths. ( uh huh) and it made me so much worse that other patients there were coming up to me and asking what the .... is going on here? Fast fwd: i left that place... saw an ortho in another city. Was told to keep up with the air pressure cast I now had ( a cast with air pumped in all around. Was not to put weight on it. ( darn hard crutching around for months with one foot and leg in the air). Then began great physio in the second city. Foot in warm water with electrodes of some sort applied to bottom of foot and then pulsing along it ( level could be adjusted etc). (is this like having an SCS only I had the electrical stimulation directly on my extremity?......) had all sorts of machines for movement with that foot/ leg too while trying to get it moving. Gentle manipulation. Caring medical people. Over time, a stationary bicycle; a treadmill; a bouncing trampoline; mirrors so I wouldn't lean to one side etc.; the list goes on. My time on any of them might have been anywhere from 3 min to 5 min. But basically I was not only learning to walk again but I was trying to figure out how to pace activity and cope with all pain that came from anything I did do. It was not easy. But my goal was to get out of having to use a wheelchair at home. And I did. So I can say that mobility does matter.

I'd like to be able to say that I went on to be back to pre-rsd. Unfortunately I was not. But I have managed to stay mobile for paced times each day . And I am very grateful that I had docs who got me to that point.

Thanks again Joan for posting an abstract dated this year.....

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