Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries occur in a variety of ways. In adults, damage to the spinal columnis usually also involved and the cord is stretched, bruised, impacted or compacted because of an external force or movement.
Age-related wear and tear on the spinal column, can cause narrowing of the intervertebral canal called stenosis. This results in pressure on the spinal cord and thespinal nerves, causing loss of function.

In children, a spinal cord injury often occurs by an over-stretching of the spinal cord.

What are the common causes of traumatic SCI?

Most traumatic SCI in Australia is caused by:

Motor vehicle accident involving either occupants or pedestrians

Falls

Sporting related accidents

Diving into shallow water

In Australia, traumatic SCI occurs in about 15 adults for each million in the population, every year. This has not changed for many years. It is expected to increase gradually in the years ahead due to our aging population, as many older people fall, which can cause a traumatic SCI.

The following types of injuries can cause spinal cord damage.

Flexion injuries:

Occur when there is a sudden forcible forward movement of the head, similar to a whiplash injury. This results in damage to the vertebrae in the neck (cervical) region of the spinal column. The damaged vertebrae then impact on the spinal cord, causing damage around C5-C6. Spinal ligaments are often also torn. These types of injuries commonly occur in motor vehicle accidents.

Rotation injuries:

Often occur alongside a flexion injury, where there is rotation of the spinal column, often in the cervical, lower thoracic and lumbar regions. This results in an associated injury of the spinal cord. Spinal ligaments are also often torn. Rotation injuries often happen in motor vehicle accidents where the vehicle is hit from the side. They also occur with people wearing lap seat belts, and in motorbike accidents.

Compression injuries:

Occur in diving accidents, where the force is transmitted through the head; or falls from a height, where the force is transmitted through the base of the spine or lower limbs. Impact causes the vertebrae, mostly commonly in the cervical or lower thoracic and lumbar region, to fracture into pieces and protrude into the spinal canal, damaging the spinal cord. The intervertebral discs may also be displaced and protrude into the spinal canal.

Hyperextension injuries:

Happen if you fall and the neck is forcibly extended in a backward direction, stretching the spinal cord. Even if there is minimal damage to the spinal column, the opening up of the discs and stretching of the ligaments damages the spinal cord. This injury is often seen in older people, and those injured in domestic accidents and assaults. Hyperextension of the neck is the most common way children damage their spinal cords. There is often little or no damage to the spinal column, but the force of the trauma causes excessive stretching of the spinal cord.

Penetrating injuries:


Occur when an object such as a knife or bullet penetrates the spinal cord. This type of injury can occur at any level of the spinal column and is often not associated withspinal column damage.