Rehab Technology for Spinal Cord Injury

Did you know that every year at least 250,000 people around the world experience a spinal cord injury (SCI)? The complications from a spinal cord injury can be very severe. Most people who suffer from them have a hard time adjusting to daily life after their injury. Fortunately, a good rehabilitation center can help patients regain control of their daily life and identify rehab technology to live well with spinal cord injury. But before we look at rehab technology for spinal cord injury, let's review what happens with spinal cored injury and what the ramifications are.
What Is A Spinal Cord Injury?
A spinal cord injury results from damage to the spinal cord and the nerves that stem from it. The spinal cord acts like a highway that connects the brain to the nerves and muscles in the body. Messages get sent to and from the brain and body along the spinal cord and this communication system allows us to move and respond quickly to changes around us.
Damage can occur through injury or disease and can disrupt the communication system resulting in dysfunction of muscles & nerves. Car accidents, crashes, falls, and sport injuries are the most common causes of spinal cord injury, but infection and tumors can cause spinal cord injury as well.
How Are Spinal Cord Injuries Classified?
Incomplete vs Complete: Spinal cord injuries are classified as incomplete or complete. An incomplete spinal cord injury occurs when damage affects or “closes” only some of the “lanes of traffic”. Other lanes remain open, so some messages get through and some abilities below the injury remain intact. A complete spinal cord injury occurs when the cord is severed. All lanes are closed and no messages get through. This usually means permanent loss of all abilities below the injury, including paralysis.
Quadriplegia vs Paraplegia: Quadriplegia, also called tetraplegia, is paralysis from the neck down. It involves an injury to the cervical segments of your spinal cord and complications can vary depending on the location of the injury. Paraplegia is paralysis that affects your lower body only. It involves an injury to the thoracic, lumbar or sacral segments of your spinal cord. The complications of this can also vary depending on the location of the injury, but usually affect body functions and abilities from your chest down.
What Happens With Spinal Cord Injury?
The symptoms of spinal cord injury depend on where the damage occurred and how much damage was sustained. Common symptoms include:
- Paralysis (loss of movement) or weakness – this not only impairs mobility but puts you at risk for blood clots and swelling
- Loss or change in sensations – this results in risk for pressure sores
- Lack of bladder control – this can lead to frequent UTIs
- Exaggerated reflexes – this causes spasticity and spasms
- Difficulty breathing or clearing lungs – this can lead to pneumonia
- Changes in sexual function
.Rehab Technology for Spinal Cord Injury and the Christopher Reeve Foundation
Despite the overwhelming challenges living with a spinal cord injury presents, it is possible to live well with SCI. Probably the most well-known spinal cord injury survivor was actor Christopher Reeve. After his injury, he and his wife Dana dedicated their lives to improving rehabilitation for people with spinal cord injury. They established the Christopher Reeve Foundation with a two-fold focus: to promote care for people with SCI and research to cure paralysis. The Foundation provides education about what good spinal cord injury rehabilitation consists of and what to look for when evaluating a rehab center. And they are a comprehensive resource for rehab technology for spinal cord injury.
Rehabilitation for Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal Cord Injury rehabilitation involves working with different types of therapy. And each therapy has a unique focus and rehab technology for spinal cord injury:
- Physical Therapy focuses on improving strength and endurance, balance, and flexibility. This helps you gain muscle control for dynamic sitting, transfers, wheelchair propulsion and walking. Pain and spasticity are frequently issues for people with spinal cord injury and physical therapists have a variety of modalities to help manage theses side effects.
- Occupational Therapy focuses on improving independence with ADLs or activities of daily living. For example, they help patients relearn tasks such as getting dressed, showering, and brushing their teeth. This gives patients more confidence and control over their daily lives. Occupational therapists make recommendations for assistive devices and help with wheelchair fittings so you can get back to the job of work and play. Some occupational therapists provide driving rehab services and can train you to drive with adaptive equipment.
- Speech Therapy focuses on improving respiratory function for lung health and voice volume. They assess swallow function and provide intervention to make sure you can breathe, eat and communicate. Many people with spinal cord injury suffer from brain injury as well. For those, speech therapy assesses cognitive function and can help with concentration, memory, judgment, and focus.
Rehab Technology for Spinal Cord Injury
In Christopher Reeves' lifetime, rehab technology for spinal cord injury moved from science fiction to reality. Although much of rehab technology remains an out-of-pocket expense because insurance payors still deem it “experimental” - big inroads have been made. Not only in getting insurance coverage but also the cost of these devices has become more affordable. Some of the exciting rehab technology for spinal cord injury available today includes:
- Robotic Exoskeletons are wearable robotic exoskeletons that provide powered hip and knee motion to enable individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) to stand upright, walk, turn, and climb and descend stairs. ReWalk is the first exoskeleton to receive FDA clearance for personal and rehabilitation use in the United States
- FES Stim Bikes are exercise bikes that uses functional electrical stimulation (FES) to assist leg movement despite muscle weakness or paralysis caused by disorders like spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, and stroke. FES works by using small amounts of electricity to help muscles contract and produce functional movements. MYOLYN developed new stimulation techniques and control algorithms that led to a more powerful and efficient cycling workout for people with paralysis. Therapy Achievements staff are trained in use of this modality and can support patients who have obtained this device for home use.
- Body Weight Supported (BWS) Treadmill Training is a method for retraining walking. A person using BWS is supported by a harness that is suspended from a metal frame or from the ceiling (see photograph here below). The harness and BWS provide support and reduce the weight on your feet while you walk on the treadmill. Therapy Achievements has several BWS devices – the LiteGait and the Biodex Walker – to help patients gain strength and endurance that they would not be able to achieve without this support.
Getting Help with Rehab Technology for Spinal Cord Injury
Comprehensive therapy is a pivotal part of recovery for spinal cord injury. The best option is to look for a therapy center that provides patients with everything they need in one place. Therapy Achievements is an excellent choice - we offer a comprehensive rehabilitation plan with cutting edge technology that promotes healing and independence. Schedule an appointment with us today!