What Causes an Acute Spinal Cord Injury?

Acute spinal cord injury is damage sustained by the bundle of nerves that run in the spine and that transmit signals between the brain and the rest of the body. The injury can lead to various degrees of damage, from a bruise that goes away quickly to a partial or complete tear of the cord, all of them accompanied by sharp pain and often the inability to move. Downtown’s Healthcare medical staff confirms that these are the most common causes for traumas sustained by the back:

• Falls – whether sustained when walking on a wet or slippery surface or at a height, a fall on the back can cause instant damage to the nerves in the spine;
• Car accidents – one of the most common examples is the so-called whiplash injury, caused by the forced bending of the neck forward, then quickly backward;
• Sports injuries – any type of sporting activity can lead to slips and falls that can cause spinal cord injury;
• Trampoline accidents – jumping too high on a trampoline can lead to the loss of control over the movement. Becoming unable to direct the movement increases the risk of falling on the back or on the head, which poses an increased risk of acute injuries to the spinal cord.