What is spinal cord injury?

The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves and nerve fibres running from the lower brain to the lower back. It sends messages between the brain and the rest of the body.

A spinal cord injury (SCI) is damage to the spinal cord, whether through injury or illness, and it messes up the messaging system, leading to loss of movement and often causing partial or full paralysis.You might also lose control of your bowels, bladder, and sexual organs.

What is tetraplegia?

Not all spinal cord injuries are the same. They vary depending on which part of the spinal cord is affected. In most cases, people lose all movement and feeling below the point of injury.

Tetraplegia, also known as quadriplegia, is the worst kind of SCI, where the damage is between C1 and C8, the highest point of the spinal cord. This means partial or total paralysis from the neck down, affecting both arms, legs, and the rest of the body.

It can even impact the muscles needed to breathe, as experienced by the late Superman actor Christopher Reeve. Around half of all new spinal cord injuries result in tetraplegia — that’s 2,200–2,500 people in the UK each year.

Tetraplegia can happen to anyone, at any time — from a fall, a sporting accident, whiplash, or illness. It can change your life in an instant, as well as your friends’ and family’s.

But it doesn’t have to be the end. Thanks to charities like Regain, people with this severe spinal cord injury can access the specialist spaces, equipment, and support they need to live as fully as possible.

Cervical vertebrae

C1-3 Limited head control
C4 Breathing and shoulders shrug
C5 Lift arm with shoulder, elbow flex
C6 Elbow flex and wrist extension
C8 Finger flexion

This is where 50% of spinal cord injuries occur, resulting in tetraplegia

Thoracic vertebrae

T1 Finger movement
T2-T12 Deep breaths, deep breathing
T6-L1 Deep exhale of breath, stability while sitting

Lumbar vertebrae

L1-L2 Hip flexion
L2-L3 Hip movement toward middle of body
L3-L4 Knee extension
L4-L5 Ankle extension
L5 Extension of big toe

Sacral vertebrae

S1 Movement of foot and ankle
S1-S2 Toe movement
S2-S4 Function of bladder and bowel