Spinal Cord Injuries Adele Anderson

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Spinal Cord InjuriesAdele Anderson
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Introduction

• 200,000 individuals in the U.S. have spinal cord
  injuries
• Each year 10,000 people sustain new spinal cord
  injuries
• Most people are injured in automobile and sports
  accidents, falls, and industrial mishaps
• 60 of these people are 30 years old or younger .
  . .

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What Is A Spinal Cord Injury?

• Communication between the brain and other parts
  of the body is disrupted, and messages no longer
  flow past the damaged areas.
• The extent of the communication breakdown is
  dependent on both the severity and the location
  of the injury.

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What Is The Spinal Cord?

• The human spinal cord is a bundle of nerve cells
  and fibers that is 17 inches long, extending from
  the brain to the lower back.
• It carries and receives incoming messages from
  the brain to all parts of the body, and is
  protected by the backbone.

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Where Do Spinal Cord Injuries Occur?

• Spinal cord injuries can occur at any level in
  the spinal column, and the level of injury will
  dictate which bodily functions are altered or
  lost.

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Effects on Sensation Movement

• The higher the injury is along the backbone, the
  more movement and sensation will be altered or
  lost . . .
• An injury to the spine in the cervical region may
  cause paralysis in both the arms and the legs,
  resulting in quadriplegia.
• A injury to the spine in the thoracic area may
  cause paralysis in the legs, resulting in
  paraplegia.

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Effects on Bowel Bladder Function

• A bowel is a voluntary part of the intestinal
  tract which is responsible for the elimination of
  solid waste from the body.
• Following a SCI, this voluntary control to
  eliminate waste is lost.

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Rehabilitation

• The primary goal of rehabilitation is to enable
  one to optimize their level of independent
  functioning, with the ultimate goal of being able
  to return to an active and productive life as
  efficiently as possible.
• Adaptations will be necessary daily.

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Above All Else . . .

• You are the most important member in your
  rehabilitation team.
• Take full advantage of the rehabilitation
  process ask questions and gather information
  from the professionals!