Spinal Cord Injury
The spinal cord runs through the center of the spinal column - a structure made up of 33 roughly cylindrical bones called vertebrae.
There are 31 pairs of spinal nerves divided into groups - cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral - according to the section of the spine from which they emerge. Here is how the body is affected when the spine is damaged.
| C1 - C8 |
C4 Diaphragm
C5 Deltoid and biceps
C6 Wrist extensors
C7 Triceps
C8 Hand |
| T1 - T12 |
T2-T7 Chest muscles
T9-T12 Abdominal muscles |
| L1 - L5 |
L1-L5 Leg muscles |
| S1 - S5 |
S1-S5 Significant with bowel, bladder, and sexual function |
More information on SCI:
Understanding Spinal Cord Injury
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