Articles

Filter by Topic
Article Length

Complete vs. incomplete spinal cord injury: What you need to know

A spinal cord injury is a life-altering event that can happen to anyone, anywhere, and at any time. It can occur due to a wide variety of reasons, such as accidents, falls, sports injuries, or medical conditions.

The severity of a spinal cord injury varies greatly and each person, even with what can seem to be similar injuries, can have different symptoms and functional outcomes. As part of the clinical approach to understanding and managing such injuries, a system of classification has been developed.

When people are injured, they are often told that they have damage to specific bony vertebrae and the cord itself at a given level, along with a further qualifier suggesting the severity of the injury, typically as a ‘complete’ or ‘incomplete’ injury. But what do these terms mean, and what is their significance?

So, let's dive in and discover what you need to know about complete vs. incomplete spinal cord injury and its effects on the nervous system.

Read More

Spinal Cord Stimulation - What it is and why it matters

We should shortly see the emergence of new spinal cord stimulation products that can assist rehabilitation, as the first examples are approaching commercialisation. Although not a cure for spinal cord injury, these devices have been shown to assist in the recovery of function in situations where this seemed lost for ever.

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has a rich history that dates back to the 1960s, when it was first introduced as a potential treatment for chronic pain management. Pioneered by Dr. Norman Shealy (1967) this innovative method was initially developed to alleviate intractable pain by delivering mild electrical pulse trains to the spinal cord via implantation of electrodes.

Over the years, the field of SCS has witnessed significant advancements in both technology and research, broadening its potential applications to include functional recovery following spinal cord injury (SCI).

This article looks briefly at the state of the art.

Read More

The effect of FES Cycling on bone density

Combining a passive/active exercise bike with synchronised FES (Functional Electrical Stimulation) is a well-researched and well-known exercise modality for persons to use after a spinal cord injury or other neurological condition.  One of the benefits often sought by our spinal cord injured clients is preservation of bone density and we will look at the evidence for this in this article. Bone is a dynamic tissue - it responds to the needs placed upon it - getting stronger under load and weaker in the absence of load. Paralysis after a spinal cord injury and lack of activity that loads the bones results in a loss of bone strength and increased risk of fractures.. FES Cycing is one way of helping to prevent this.

Read More
book, spinal cord injury, rehabilitation Derek Jones book, spinal cord injury, rehabilitation Derek Jones

Dont Back Down: A new book

Company director Derek Jones has a few years (actually decades) of experience working face to face with people following a spinal cord injury. His new book is aimed at newly injured persons and titled “Dont Back Down: Your guide to living well with a spinal cord injury”. It’s now available on Amazon as a paperback and Kindle book.
The content is a broad ranging and empowering guide to getting life back on track after a spinal cord injury.

Read More

FES Cycling and improving health after spinal cord injury

Physically disabled people are the least active group in society. According to Sports England, disabled people are twice as likely to be inactive as able-bodied people. A RehaMove FES Cycling system provides a method that many spinal cord injured people use at home for long term fitness. Recent developments have made this exercise choice more engaging than ever

Read More