Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injury is damage to the spinal cord that results in temporary or permanent changes in the function of spinal nerves. Symptoms may include loss of muscle function, sensation, or autonomic function in areas of the body below the level of the spinal cord injury. For individuals with a spinal cord injury, every aspect of their lives—mentally, emotionally, and socially—can be significantly affected. In approximately half of spinal cord injury patients, both the arms and legs are affected, while in the other half, only the legs are impacted.
Other injuries that may accompany spinal cord injury include vertebral fractures, head trauma, and lung injuries. Consequently, the patient’s clinical stability initially impacts the rehabilitation process.
Spinal Cord Injury Treatment Program
Our multi-disciplinary team creates a personalized therapy plan for each spinal cord injury patient, utilizing the latest technologies and innovative treatment methods.
Regular evaluations are conducted to measure progress, with ongoing adjustments to your therapy plan aimed at optimizing your recovery.
Treatment goals are established to ensure the highest level of functional independence for our patients.
Our holistic approach integrates the best medical treatments with intensive daily therapies. Your daily treatment program is tailored to your current condition and goals, with up to 4-6 therapy sessions per day. The objective of every therapy is to regain lost skills.
Following a spinal cord injury, patients may experience a range of symptoms and problems, including:
- Loss of mobility, weakness in hands or legs
- Difficulty breathing or clearing the lungs
- Decreased or loss of sensory functions
- Loss of sensation, tingling, or numbness in the hands or feet
- Balance and walking difficulties
- Sexual dysfunction or tenderness
- Loss of bladder and/or bowel control
- Muscle contractions
- Impaired or decreased reflexes
Personalized Therapy Program Includes:
- Robotics: (Lokomat, C-mill, Armeo, Amadeo)
- Intensive Physiotherapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Speech, Language, and Swallowing Therapy
- Respiratory Therapy
- Bladder Function Management (e.g., urinary incontinence)
- Neuropsychology and Psychological Support
- Additional Treatments when necessary (e.g., ozone therapy, stem cells)
Frequently Asked Questions
Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries are categorized into two main types: complete and incomplete injuries.
Complete Injury: This type of injury results in permanent damage, leading to a total loss of function below the level of the injury. Complete injuries often result in paraplegia, where the legs are dysfunctional, or quadriplegia, where both the arms and legs are affected.
Incomplete Injury: This occurs when only a part of the spinal cord is damaged. The extent of impairment varies and depends on the severity of the injury. There is generally a higher chance of recovery with incomplete injuries compared to complete injuries, as some sensory or motor functions may still be preserved.
Quadriplegia, also known as tetraplegia, results from damage to the cervical spine (neck region) and often causes complete paralysis of the legs, arms, and sometimes the trunk. This type of injury affects motor functions as well as sensory and reflex functions throughout the body.
Paraplegia is typically caused by damage to the thoracic or lumbar regions of the spine. It is associated with paralysis of the lower body, including the legs and hips, while the upper body remains functional.
Symptoms may include loss of muscle function, sensation, or autonomic function in parts of the body below the level of spinal cord injury:
- Loss of mobility, weakness in the hands or legs
- Difficulty breathing or clearing the lungs
- Decrease or loss of sensory functions
- Loss of sensation, tingling, or numbness in the hands or feet
- Balance and walking difficulties
- Sexual dysfunction or sensitivity issues
- Loss of bladder and/or bowel control
- Muscle contractions
- Impaired or decreased reflexes
Spinal cord injury rehabilitation aims to minimize the issues caused by the injury and help the patient achieve the highest level of independence possible. Treatment and training programs are tailored to each patient’s individual needs, focusing on improving movement, balance, speech, and cognitive functions. The rehabilitation process includes physiotherapy, occupational therapy, robotic rehabilitation, swallowing and speech therapy, and cognitive treatments.
During inpatient physical therapy, the patient collaborates with a multidisciplinary team, including a physiotherapist, occupational therapist, rehabilitation nurse, speech-swallowing therapist, respiratory therapist, psychologist, and dietitian, under the guidance of a Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Specialist Physician. This type of rehabilitation requires 24-hour care and treatment, typically provided in the initial weeks or months following a stroke, when intensive intervention is most crucial.
Inpatient rehabilitation aims to maximize the recovery period by offering cognitive and exercise-based programs during the transition from inpatient to outpatient care.
Upon admission to our inpatient service, patients receive a completely personalized rehabilitation program tailored to their specific needs, involving 4-6 hours of treatment daily. The rehabilitation process includes an intensive exercise program with robotic rehabilitation devices, holistic approach consultations, and regular patient evaluations.
Our comprehensive and intensive robotic rehabilitation, combined with medical treatment, provides a recovery rate that is more than twice as effective compared to traditional rehabilitation methods.
- 4-6 hours of one-on-one rehabilitation each day
- Multidisciplinary patient care involving all branches of medicine
- 24-hour doctor supervision
- Personalized robotic neurorehabilitation program addressing all patient needs
Four Key Factors for Successful Rehabilitation:
- Hospital Providing Multidisciplinary Support:
- Comprehensive care from various medical specialties.
- Expertly Experienced Rehabilitation Team:
- Skilled physical therapists and rehabilitation specialists.
- Advanced Technological Support:
- Walking Robots
- Hand Robots
- Arm Robots
- Advanced Walking and Balance Robots
- Integrated Sensors & Virtual Reality
- Body Weight Support Systems
- Touch Screens
- Unlocking the Full Healing Potential:
- Intensive and comprehensive treatment programs lasting approximately 4-6 hours daily to stimulate maximum recovery
Daily Rehabilitation Schedule:
- 08:00 – Breakfast
- 09:00 – Physiotherapy
- 10:00 – Robotic Walking Training (Lokomat Pro or C-mill VR plus)
- 11:30 – Electrotherapy
- 12:00 – Lunch
- 14:00 – Respiratory Therapy
- 14:30 – Robotic Finger Training (Amedeo)
- 15:00 – Robotic Hand-Arm Training (Armeo Spring)
- 16:00 – Ergotherapy
- 17:00 – Physiotherapy, Speech Therapy
- 18:00 – Dinner
