Paraplegia
Q&A I have recently been confined to a wheelchair. Should I change my diet? Yes. You should be eating much less than before. Because you are a lot less active, you will not be able to burn up as many calories; thus you are likely to put on weight, which is not easy to lose when you are confined to a wheelchair.
Paraplegia does not prevent people from playing competitive sports. Esther Vergeer of the Netherlands is seen here playing in the paralympics in Sydney, Australia, in 2000.
Paraplegia is damage to the middle or lower area of the spinal cord that can cause paralysis of both legs and sometimes part of the trunk. The connection between the brain and the nerves used for movement is cut. If the damage to the spinal cord is high in the neck, the arms and the legs are also paralyzed, a condition known as tetraplegia or quadriplegia. Most cases of paraplegia involve both legs and the lower part of the trunk. The most common cause of paraplegia is spinal cord damage from a physical force that fractures and dislocates the spine, compressing or severing the spinal cord. Several small strokes affecting both sides of the brain can also cause paraplegia. Spinal cord injury can also result from diseases that affect the spinal cord, including myelitis (cord inflammation), multiple sclerosis (MS), poliomyelitis, and blockage by a blood clot in the spinal artery. In children, paraplegia can be caused by congenital malformations of the spinal cord or by early brain damage leading to cerebral palsy. Early rickets, with softening and distortion of the spine, can also cause cord damage and paraplegia. The degree of damage to the cord determines the degree of sensation that is lost. In some cases, there is paralysis and loss of sensation in the entire body below the level of the injury. In addition to the inability to walk, paraplegia often causes problems with bladder and bowel control. Much research is now under way to find ways to rejoin nerves. Already, paraplegia has been cured in small animals, and experts are optimistic. In addition, a frame that allows a paraplegic to walk has been designed. The frame has leg braces and splints and is assisted by the arms and by electric motors. Improvements in the design are being made constantly. Electrical stimulation of the paralyzed leg muscles to make them contract and allow a paraplegic to walk are also being developed.
SEE ALSO
leg • muscle • nervous system • spinal column • spinal cord • sports • stroke
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