An incomplete injury means there will be some function below the level of the injury.
A person with an incomplete injury may be able to move one limb more than another, feel parts of the body that cannot be moved or may have more function on one side of the body than the other.
If your relative has a cervical (neck) injury, this usually results in tetraplegia (the older less-used term is quadriplegia).
- Tetraplegia means that all four limbs are affected and their body will be partially or fully paralysed, dependent on whether the injury is complete or incomplete.
- A person with a very high-level neck injury may require a ventilator to assist breathing.
An SCI below the level of the neck in the thoracic or lumbar region of the spine, is known as paraplegia.
- This means that the injured person is likely to be paralysed, to some degree, in their chest, abdomen including bladder and bowels and legs, but will have good movement in their upper body and arms.
- The amount of movement in their trunk and chest will depend on the level of the injury