What are the types of spinal cord injury?
Written and Reviewed by Michael Agruss
- Managing Partner and Personal Injury Lawyer at 844SeeMike.
- Over 20 years of experience in Personal Injury.
- Graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law: Juris Doctor, 2004.
A spinal cord injury is when some damage or fracture to the spinal cord affects its structure and function, and it can be extremely debilitating and life-changing. This is because it can affect the CNS which is in charge of motor and sensory function. A severe spinal cord injury has the potential to leave a person paralyzed from the neck down or paralyzed in all four limbs. They can be either complete or incomplete spinal cord injuries. A complete injury is when it results in total loss of all motor and sensory function below the level of injury. An incomplete injury is when there is still some motor and/or sensory function below the level of injury.
There are a few different types of more specific spinal cord injuries, though, which include the following:
- Spinal fracture – These injuries are when certain bones of the vertebrae break due to a high-energy impact and, thus, risk damaging the surrounding tissues and muscles if bone fragments get displaced.
- Cervical spinal cord injury – Cervical injuries occur in the highest part of the spinal cord and risk paralysis to the entire area below the injury site, which would be the most widespread type, as opposed to a lower back injury. Paralysis can cover the arms and legs and impair some bodily functions.
- Thoracic spinal cord injury – Thoracic injuries occur in the middle back (abdomen area) which controls signals to some back muscles and parts of the abdomen. It can cause paralysis of the legs and some impaired bodily functions.
- Lumbar spinal cord injury – Lumbar injuries affect the lower portion of the back, which controls signals to the lower parts of the abdomen, the back, buttocks, some genital organs, and the legs. These injuries can cause paralysis of the legs only and some impaired bodily functions.
- Sacral spinal cord injury – Sacral injuries affect the lower base of the back and control signals to the thighs, lower legs, feet, and genital organs. It can cause loss of bowel, bladder, and some proper sexual function.
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