The need for fitness is universal and applies to people with disabilities -- including those with spinal cord injuries. People with limited mobility engage in exercise for the usual reasons: to improve fitness, lose weight, strengthen muscles and...
When the spinal cord is damaged, many problems can result, including movement and sensation impairments below the level of injury. People with spinal cord damage are more prone to medical issues than the average person, including pressure sores...
A spinal cord injury can be a devastating event, and learning to function with limitations often requires extensive rehabilitation. Adolescents who suffer from spinal cord injuries are often in even more difficult positions, because they must also...
Some rehabilitation programs for spinal cord injuries only focus on learning to live with your injury. Others focus on recovering movement and locomotion by using aggressive exercise and patterned neural activity. Patterned neural activities are...
Suffering a spinal cord injury alters the basic functions of your body. Health complications like osteoporosis, restrictive lung disease, deep vein thrombosis, joint dislocation and skin breakdown are serious concerns for someone with a spinal...
Spinal cord injuries, or SCIs, are traumatic injuries that trigger temporary or permanent damage to the main nerve pathway between your brain and body. Involvement in organized sports is a known underlying factor in a significant number of these...
Spinal cord injuries can happen to anyone, causing a variety of physical impairments. Little can be done to remedy spinal nerve damage. However, alternative remedies such as ginkgo biloba are gaining attention for their potential role in spinal...
While the number one cause of spinal cord injury -- SCI -- is automobile accidents, SCIs are on the rise among soldiers as a result of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Complete SCIs leave the victim paralyzed below the point of injury, while...
Spinal cord rehabilitation often involves treatments designed specifically for your individual condition, so you should not perform any of these exercises without the express direction of your doctor. Since injuries to your spinal cord can result...
Spinal cord injuries below T12 affect your lower back, anal sphincter muscle and may damage your defecation reflux. Such injuries can range from mild to severe. Exercise, a good mental outlook and activity play important roles in recovering from a...
Spinal cord injury occurs when the vertebrae are fractured by excessive force during an automobile accident, sports-related blow or fall. The fractured vertebrae cause mobility problems and in more severe cases where the spinal cord is actually...
Constipation and fecal impaction are real concerns for people with spinal cord injuries. Food moves through your digestive system much more slowly when you have a spinal cord injury, and if you do not empty your bowels on a regular basis, stools...
Living with a spinal cord injury comes with a host of concerns, including complications such as osteoporosis, urinary tract infection and pressure sores. A balanced diet can help maintain health and prevent complications. Strive to get your...
Rehabilitation after injury is one of the best ways to return to full function. Rehab may consist of certain medications, the application of ultrasound or microcurrent therapy, ice massage, bed rest and exercise. It may even involve re-learning to...
Spinal cord injuries often result from damaged pieces of fractured vertebrae, or spinal disks, tearing into the spinal cord or pressing on nerves that transmit signals to your brain, which causes paralysis below the injury level, according to...
Being confined to a wheelchair due to a spinal chord injury can have its limitations when it comes to working out. However, with the right mix of equipment and a creative mindset, you can accomplish a great deal in terms of strength, endurance and...
Your triceps are an important pair of muscles -- they provide two-thirds of the total muscle mass on the upper arms, so they play a significant role in overall strength and aesthetics. Additionally, your triceps have an important functional role,...
Almost any activity can lead to a spinal cord injury. Most spinal cord injuries are a result of automobile accidents, falls and sports injuries. It's possible to prevent many spinal cord injuries by following safety precautions and using common...
Spinal cord injuries are becoming more and more common. In fact, the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation estimates that there are more than one million people living with some type of spinal cord injury in 2010. A spinal cord injury that causes...
A spinal cord injury may cause permanent disability or paralysis. The injuries can range from a temporary loss of sensation and ability to control movement to a permanent injury that leaves patients completely unable to control muscles from the...
A spinal cord injury can happen to just about anyone, though most occur in young men. According to the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), approximately 25 percent of Americans are currently living with some form of...
Spinal cord injury can occur to any area of the spine, including the cervical, thoracic or lumbar areas or the neck, chest or lower back. Where the injury occurs will determine what symptoms or loss of function a person experiences. For example, a...
The spinal cord may become severed or injured due to accidents, acts of violence or physical diseases such as polio, according to Dr. Edward Benzel of the Cleveland Clinic Spine Institute. Depending upon the extent and location of the spinal cord...
Approximately 12,000 spinal cord injuries occur each year in the United States, according to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center. About 41 percent of these injuries occur as a result of automobile accidents. Men comprise 80 percent...
The spinal cord is an integral structure of the nervous system that sends signals from the brain to nerves in the body and relays signals from nerves in the body to the brain. Thus, damage or injury to the spinal cord can result in a break in...
Symptoms of spinal cord injury may present as emergency symptoms or more generalized symptoms that mimic other disorders. A common misconception is that spinal cord injuries always involve paralysis, when in fact, they may only involve pain....
After a spinal cord injury, a person's nutritional needs often change to accomodate the body's new condition. In addition, eating well is even more important after a spinal cord injury for healing and future health. A nutritious diet promotes...
The spinal cord is an essential element of the nervous system that runs the length of the back and is encased within the vertebrae for protection. The spinal vertebrae are numbered according to their corresponding sections of the spinal cord,...
People with spinal cord injuries, or SCIs, may be advised to take vitamin C supplements or to eat foods that are high in vitamin C. This can help them avoid some SCI-associated complications, such as urinary tract infections or pressure ulcers....
Spinal Cord Injury is a very serious injury that can be very severe depending on the injury. Two well known forms of this injury are quadriplegia and paraplegia in which either the legs or all limbs are rendered useless. Learn more about this...
Spinal cord injuries can be caused by diving, football and gymnastics. Learn how to treat spinal cord injuries in this physical therapy video.
Monoskis enable those with disabilities to enjoy the sport of snow skiing. Learn how to ski with a disability in this winter sports video.
Play a game of hoops from a wheelchair. Learn tips and techniques for playing wheelchair basketball in this adaptive sports video.
Paralysis is a complete loss of strength or ability to move a particular limb or muscle group because nerves are affected or injured in some way. Watch this video to learn more about this condition and how to treat it.
