Spinal cord lesions - The rehabilitation perspective

The present study provides an overview of the spinal cord injury focusing mainly on aspects related to rehabilitation. Spinal cord injury affects young people in an active phase of life, determining severe handicaps. Most of the lesions are traumatic, caused by car accidents. Until fifty years ago, the survival of individuals with spinal cord injury was very reduced and the leading cause of death was renal failure. Due to developments in medical knowledge and technical advances, the survival rates have significantly improved. The causes of death have also changed being respiratory complications, particularly pneumonia, the leading causes. Immediately after a spinal cord lesion there is a phase of spinal shock which is characterized by flaccid paralysis and bladder and bowel retention. Progressively there is a return of the spinal cord automatism with the beginning of some reflex activities. Based on neurological evaluation it is pos-sible to predict motor and functional recovery and establish the rehabilitation program. We can consider three phases on the rehabilitation program: the first while the patient is still in bed, directed to prevent or treat complications due to immobility and begin sphincters reeducation; the second phase is intended to achieve wheelchair autonomy; the last phase is training in ortostatism. The rehabilitation program also comprises sports and recreational activities, psychological and social support in order to achieve an integral of the individual with a spinal cord injury.