Spinal Rehabilitation Specialist

What is spinal rehabilitation?

Spinal rehabilitation is a special type of restorative care after a spinal cord injury. The spinal cord travels from the stem of your brain down your back. When these nerves are damaged, your brain may no longer be able to send movement signals to your muscles.

There are four parts of the spinal cord where injuries can occur: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral. The type of spinal rehabilitation plan the Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy team creates for you depends on both the area and severity of your spinal injury.

Are there different types of spinal injuries?

Spinal cord injuries are most commonly separated into two categories:

Complete spinal cord injury

A complete spinal cord injury causes permanent damage to the section of the spinal cord that has been affected. This means there is no function below the level of the injury. Some common complete spinal cord injuries include tetraplegia and paraplegia.

Incomplete spinal cord injury

An incomplete spinal cord injury is partial damage to the spinal cord. In this type of injury, you may still experience feeling, sensation, and movement in spite of the damage. These incomplete spinal injuries include:

• Posterior cord syndrome
• Central cord syndrome
• Anterior cord syndrome
• Brown-Sequard syndrome
• Cauda equina lesion

Spinal cord injuries most often occur after a serious fall, car accident, severe sports injury, or after an act of violence.

What happens during spinal rehabilitation?

A spinal cord injury can have a dramatic impact on your physical and emotional well-being, especially if it severely limits your mobility. That’s why you need a rehabilitation plan that aligns with your goals and accelerates your recovery.

After a full evaluation, which includes X-rays and other diagnostic methods, the Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy team can design an individualized spinal rehabilitation plan for you. This plan may include one or more of the following therapies and techniques:

• Targeted exercises and stretches
• Assistive devices
• Mental health counseling
• Nutritional counseling
• Electrical stimulation
• Immobilization 
• Ultrasound therapy

Early intervention is critical for any spinal rehabilitation plan, so it’s important to start treatment as soon as possible following your spinal injury.

To learn more about spinal rehabilitation, call Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy or schedule an appointment online.