Causes And Risk Factors of Spinal Cord Injury

Life with a spinal cord injury or disease is demanding enough without secondary symptoms such as spasticity, which tightens muscles and can make daily activities more challenging. That’s why Medtronic developed a treatment technology.

Definition of Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injury refers to damage of the spinal cord resulting from a blunt or penetrating trauma.

Causes of Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injury is usually the result of an accident (for example, motor vehicle accident, fall, sports injury) or acts of violence such as gunshot wounds. It can also be caused by surgical complications2 or by disease (for example, polio, spina bifida, Friedreich's Ataxia)

Risk Factors of Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injury can happen to anyone, but some people are at higher risk, including:

Men – 80% of spinal cord injuries

Young adults 16 to 30—more than half of spinal cord injuries

People who engage in risky behavior – such as diving into shallow water or playing sports without proper safety gear or precautions


People with an underlying bone or joint disorder – for example, arthritis, osteoporosis