Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a medically complex and life-disrupting condition. SCI refers to damage to the spinal cord arising from trauma – such as car crash, road accident – or from non-traumatic disease or degeneration – such as tuberculosis (TB). World Health organisation identifies that Road traffic crashes, falls and violence are the three most common cause of spinal cord injuries (causes of SCI).
This spinal damage can result in temporary or permanent changes in sensation, movement, strength, and body functions below the site of injury. Some spinal injuries that cause little or no cell death may allow for an almost complete recovery while those that occur higher on the spinal cord and are more serious can cause paralysis in most of the body.
Spinal Cord Injury: What comes next?
People who survive a spinal cord injury will most likely have medical complications such as loss of movement in some body part (paralysis), chronic pain and bladder and bowel dysfunction, along with an increased susceptibility to respiratory and heart problems. Successful recovery depends upon how well these chronic conditions are handled day to day.
After immediate treatment of spinal cord injury and acute care, once the spinal cord injury patients are stabilised ongoing health care maintenance is required. A good rehabilitation program treats complete and incomplete spinal cord damage and ensures that body function is maximized and that the individual can become as independent as possible. In line with the spinal cord injury type and condition of the patient, ReAble utilises different models of service delivery of rehabilitation to optimize the spinal cord injury recovery stages:
How does Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation work?
While neuro rehab can’t reverse permanent spinal cord damage, research has established that spinal cord injury rehabilitation can help people who have SCI lead the fullest life possible. A comprehensive approach to recovery is particularly important for patients who have both brain and spinal cord injury, because limitations from one condition can affect how we address the other condition.
ReAble’s rehabilitation team will assess the individual’s needs and create a rehabilitation program that combines physical and other therapies with skill-building activities, training, and counseling to aid recovery and provide social and emotional support, as well as to increase independence and quality of life.
Our approach combines expertise, compassion and experience to deliver the best results for each patient. ReAble Neuro Rehabilitation is unique and successful for spinal injury treatment for a few main reasons:
- Prevention of complications: With ample experience at treating patients with neurological conditions, spinal injuries and related complications, our team can pre-empt possible complications (like DVT, pressure sores etc) and works with the patient and family to prevent these.
- Effective management of condition: Urinary incontinence, bladder disturbances, loss of sensory function in certain body parts, respiratory complications are common among patients with SCI. An inter-disciplinary team works hand-in-hand to effectively manage these conditions and reduce symptoms to easy day to day living.
- Holistic treatment and rehabilitation: A mix of physiotherapy, chest physiotherapy, occupational therapy helps strengthen muscles and regain lost movement gradually. ReAble Neuro Rehabilitation helps patients improve mobility, learn how to use adaptive equipment and manage the emotional challenges of their new life. Nutrition advice for their food intake to carefully manage the dietary requirement as well as taste.
