Year 9 Coordination – Nervous System 2014
Name: ____________________
School Webpage  Staff  Mr. Hung’s Webpages  Year 9 Coordination  SCI
Questions on Spinal Cord Injury
http://www.uiortho.com/index.php/how-do-spinal-cord-injuries-affect-the-body.html
1. What are some consequence of having spinal cord injury (SCI)?
http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/spine_picture.shtml
2. Where is Spinal Cord located?
3. How many vertebrates are there in the Human Body?
4. List all the region of the spinal cord . eg. C3, L4 etc
http://www.apparelyzed.com/paraplegia-paraplegic.html
5. What is Paraplegia?
6. What are some symptoms of Paraplegia?
7. What are the secondary medical complications that may be resulted in Paraplegia
patients?
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Paraplegia_%28spinal_cor
d_injury%29
8. What are the possible causes of the damage to the spinal cord?
9. What are the common health problems facing people who are paraplegic?
(related to Q.6)
10. Why are antibodies commonly prescribed to Paraplegic patient?
11. Find out the webpage of the 3 associations in Australia which give support to Paraplegia.
Answers: Questions on Spinal Cord Injury
www.uiortho.com/index.php/how-do-spinal-cord-injuries-affect-the-body.html
1. What is the consequence of having spinal cord injury (SCI)?
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The effects of spinal cord injury (SCI) vary depending on the type and level of injury sustained. We
can divide SCI into 2 categories — complete and incomplete.
A complete injury means that there is no function below the level of the injury (no sensation and no
voluntary movement) and both sides of the body are equally affected. An incomplete injury means
that there is some functioning below the primary level of the injury. One limb may be able to be
moved more than the other, the person may be able to feel parts of the body that cannot be moved
and there may be more functioning on one side of the body than the other.
http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/spine_picture.shtml
2. Where is Spinal Cord located?

Spinal cord is connected to the base of the brain and is located and protected by the spine or
vertebral column. 31 pairs of spinal nerves arise from the spinal cord at different locations.
3. How many vertebrates are there in the Human Body?

The human spinal column is made up of 33 bones - 7 vertebrae in the cervical region, 12 in the
thoracic region, 5 in the lumbar region, 5 in the sacral region and 4 in the coccygeal region.
4. List all the region of the spinal cord . eg. C3, L4 etc
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Cervical (neck) injuries (C1 - C8)
Thoracic Vertebrae (T1- T12)
Lumbar Vertebrae (L1- L5)
Sacral Spine (s1 - S5)
http://www.apparelyzed.com/paraplegia-paraplegic.html
5. What is Paraplegia?
Paraplegia is an impairment in motor or sensory function of the lower extremities. It is usually the result of
spinal cord injury or a congenital condition such as spina bifida
6. What are some symptoms of Paraplegia?
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Injury to the spinal cord at the thoracic level and below result in paraplegia, with the arms and
hands not affected.
People with injuries to the spinal cord segments T-1 to T-8 usually retain control of the arms and
hands but have poor trunk control and balance due to the lack of abdominal muscle control.
Lower thoracic injuries (T-9 to T-12) retain good truck control and good abdominal muscle control.
The sitting balance of people with lower spinal cord injuries is usually very good.
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Lumbar and Sacral injuries result in decreased control of the hip flexors and legs.
7. What are the secondary medical complications that may be resulted in Paraplegia
patients?
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As a result of the decreased loss of feeling or function in the lower extremities, paraplegics can be
susceptible to a number of secondary medical complications.
These include pressure sores, thrombosis, low blood pressure, autonomic dysreflexia and pneumonia.
Dysfunction of the bowel and bladder will usually also occur.
Sexual functioning is frequently impaired or lost with SCI. Men may have their fertility affected,
while a women's fertility is generally not affected.
As paraplegia is most often the result of a traumatic injury to the spinal cord tissue and the
resulting inflammation, other nerve related complications can and do occur.
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Paraplegia_%28spinal_
cord_injury%29
8.
What are the possible causes of the damage to the spinal cord?
People can receive damage to the spinal cord due to an accident, for example a:
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Motor accident
Diving mishap
Fall
Sporting accident
Household accident.
9. What are the common health problems facing people who are paraplegic?
(related to Q.6)
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Frequent urinary tract infections
Kidney stones
Muscle spasm
Pressure sores from sitting in one position for too long without a correct pressure cushion
Wide and rapid fluctuations in body temperature.
10. Why are antibodies commonly prescribed to Paraplegic patient?
Antibiotics are generally used to cure urinary tract infections. Some people use cranberry juice and other
herbal remedies as a preventative.
11.
Find out the webpage of the 3 associations in Australia which give support to Paraplegia.
a.
b.
c.
Independence Australia - http://store.independenceaustralia.com/
Spinal Cord Injuries Australia - http://scia.org.au/
AQA Victoria Ltd T - http://www.aqavic.org.au/