Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a catastrophic event which significantly alters every aspect of a person's life.  The individual is immediately plunged into the world of emergency medical care, surgical procedures and spinal immobilization devices.  Equally traumatic is the immediate dependency on others for all of the most basic human needs.  The individual is confronted with economic problems associated with SCI.

 

Once the individual has treated with the initial medical professionals concerning the spinal injury, the patient must then move on to rehabilitation.  Today, rehabilitation is centered on assisting the patient in regaining emotional stability as well as physical strength.  Often compromised of a multi-disciplinary team, they help teach the patients to utilize other methods to accomplish the same task performed before the injury, as well as psychological direction and support.  Realistic short term and long term goals are established and are centered on being meaningful to the patient.  Today, patients are being admitted sooner and sooner after their initial spinal cord injury to rehabilitation facilities due to a better understanding by the medical community and based upon a patient centered approach towards rehabilitation.

 

For more detailed information on rehabilitation centers, techniques and the latest developments, please visit spinal cord injury rehabilitation web sites and publications.