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Injuries to the spinal cord are typically a result of trauma. That is, motor vehicle accident, a fall, or a dive into a shallow pool. This will sometimes cause a fracture of the bony spinal canal, which then can impinge upon the cord inside. An injury to the spinal cord within the spinal canal will cause a loss of the functions to the limbs, depending on the location within the spinal canal where it’s injured. If the location of the spinal cord that’s injured is within the cervical spine, there will be effects on the arms and then everything below. The location of the injury within the spinal cord tells us what portion of the body will be affected by that injury. The lower the injury is, the fewer parts of the body affected. The higher the injury is, the more parts of the body affected. The degree of damage to that segment of spinal cord tells you how severely affected those portions of the body will be.
The severity of spinal cord injuries is divided up into five categories. The classification was previously referred to as the Asia scale or the American Spinal Injuries Association. It is now referred to as the ISNCSCI. But these scales break injuries up into five categories. In Asia A, referring to the fact that there is no motor or sensory function below the lesion. This is also referred to as a complete injury. Patient who has no movement below the level of the injury has a complete injury. The patient who has no sensation below the level of injury has a complete injury. In Asia B spinal cord injury has no motor function below the level of injury, but the patient may still perceive some sensation. In Asia C injury, the patient will have some movement, but this movement is not sufficient for the patient to stand and walk. In Asia D injury, a patient can actually stand, bear their own weight, and take some steps, but their functionality may be severely limited by spasticity and they may require a walker or cane or assisted device to help them. In Asia E is essentially a normal spinal cord. They can walk and use their limbs well.
