Brooklyn Man Who Fought Off Paralysis With Tai Chi Gives Back

FORT GREENE, BROOKLYN — When Toby Kasavan was rushed into surgery four years ago for a spinal infection, he thought he might never be able to move his left arm again.

The now-66-year-old had two discs in his back replaced after he suddenly lost the ability to move his arm just hours earlier.

Doctors found out he had a staph infection and finished the surgery before the nerves died, but still weren't sure how much his now semi-paralyzed body would recover, Kasavan said — a realization that was especially emotional given that he is a blues pianist.

"I had to face the idea that I might be spending the rest of my life with no functional left arm and trouble walking," he said. "I was crushed."

The Kensington resident started healing with physical therapy, but stopped after his insurance company wouldn't pay for more classes. With his body only about 60 percent back to what it used to be, Kasavan was left looking for new ways to continue recovering.

That's when he decided to give Tai Chi a try.

Kasavan, who had done the martial art a few times before, said it seemed like one of his only options given that he was still hooked up to an IV. The relaxed, slow motion movements of Tai Chi meant he could start practicing even though he could only stand for a few minutes at a time.

"If you can move at all, you can start, which really is very special," he said. "That's the wonderful thing (about Tai Chi) — you can do it at any level."

Kasavan said he started seeing improvement almost immediately. His arm, which he could only lift three inches when he started, started moving more and more as the months went by.

Within a few years, he was almost completely back to his range of movement before his health crisis.

Now, Kasavan hopes his story can help others with limited mobility who are looking to get their lives back.

He has started teaching Tai Chi at a senior center in Fort Greene and community center in Park Slope to help seniors, or those with injuries, experience the health benefits of the exercise.

"What I realized was that a lot of people even in their 50s don’t really think they can get stronger especially if they were not sporty at all when they were younger," he said. "(And) a lot of people when they have some sort of injury, when physical therapy ends, whatever level they are at they take it as a given that that's where they'll be for the rest of their life."

The American Heart Association, The Arthritis Foundation, the Mayo Clinic, The American College of Sports Medicine, the National Institute of Health and Harvard Medical School doctors all recommend Tai Chi for it's many health benefits, he said.

It can help with balance and mobility to prevent falls for seniors, help alleviate back problems and improve overall strength.

And, Kasavan added, it is fun.

The Tai Chi movements are relaxed, but complex enough that they are more interesting than more repetitive typical physical therapy. The complicated movements create a meditative focus during the exercises, he said.

"It's an exercise, a meditation and a health practice all at once," Kasavan said.

His classes are free at the Fort Greene senior center on Fulton Street for members and at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday nights at the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture and are run under the name Better Balance NY.