Millions of people are living with some form of spinal cord injury. Each injury is unique based on the degree of spinal cord damage. Even people with the diagnosis of paraplegia have different degrees of ability, ranging from the ability to walk without any assistive device up to complete paralysis of the legs. Someone with an L5 injury should be independent with most aspects of daily living, according to the Consortium for Spinal Cord Medicine, just in a slightly modified way.
Paraplegia
Paraplegia is the term for paralysis in the lower body, particularly in the legs. There are different degrees of paraplegia, and someone with an L5 injury can expect to have some function in their legs. At L5, the abdominals and quadriceps are intact; however, the nerves that control the hamstrings and ankle muscles may be affected. This means that a person may be able to bring their knees up and straighten their legs fully or partially, however the ability to bend the knees or maintain ankle control may be limited or absent. If the L5 spinal nerve lesion is complete, the person will require a wheelchair for mobility. However, if it is incomplete or partial, the ability to walk may recover with therapy.
Loss of Sensation
The spinal nerves not only control movement in the legs, but their sensation as well. A person with a spinal nerve lesion at L5 may have a partial or complete loss of feeling in their shins, feet, bottom and entire back of the legs, according to the Consortium for Spinal Cord Medicine. If the nerve lesion is incomplete, some areas of sensation may be preserved below this level. Loss of sensation ranges from feeling pins and needles in the legs to complete numbness, depending on the degree of spinal nerve damage.
Loss of Bowel and Bladder Control
Like skeletal muscles, the muscles that allow bowel and bladder control are also controlled by spinal nerves. The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation reports that most people with paralysis have some degree of dysfunction with their bowels and bladder. Because L5 is above the nerve level that controls these functions, a complete nerve lesion at this stage will disrupt the signals. Most people with paraplegia require some type of bowel and bladder management program, including catheterization and the use of suppositories or digital stimulation.
Sexual Dysfunction
Many people have a loss of sexual function following a spinal cord injury; however, this does not mean that they cannot have an active sex life. According to the MayoClinic.com, medication and experimentation with intimacy can make all the difference following a spinal nerve lesion. It is important to understand that sexuality may be different following a spinal cord injury, due to the loss of control of the muscles in the genitals. However, it is still possible for men and women with L5 spinal nerve lesions to have a healthy and active sex life. They may also still become parents.
References
- Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation: Paralysis Resource Center: Bladder Management
- Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation: Paralysis Resource Center: Bowel Care
- Consortium for Spinal Cord Medicine: Expected Outcomes: What You Should Know -- A Guideline for People With L2-S5 Spinal Cord Injury
- MayoClinic.com: Spinal Cord Injury
