Each year in Australia, between 300 and 400 people sustain traumatic spinal cord injuries (SCIs); mostly as a result of car accidents and falls. If a vertebra is broken and a piece of the broken bone presses into the spinal cord, the cord will be injured. The cord can also be injured if the vertebrae, which are normally held in place by strong ligaments and muscles, are pushed or pulled out of alignment, even if they are not fractured. Spinal injuries in aquatic based activities usually occur in the cervical (neck) section of the spine as a result of a traumatic force, such as diving into shallow water.
When being assessed for spinal injury approximately only 50 per cent of victims show recognised symptoms or signs of spinal damage. Therefore, it is important that if a spinal injury is suspected that the victim is managed accordingly.
The five common types and causes of spinal cord injuries are:
1. Hyperextension injuries
- Occur when the head is sharply thrust back and the spine is arched backwards beyond its normal limit
- Most commonly result in upper cervical spinal cord injury when there is nothing to restrain the head
- Common causes of hyperextension injuries are:
- falling face down while climbing stairs
- motor vehicle accidents (whiplash)
- shallow water diving accidents.
2. Hyperflexion injuries
- Occur when the spine is arched forward beyond its normal limit
- Most commonly result in injuries to the cervical spinal cord because the head is pushed forward until the chin makes contact with the chest
- Common causes of hyperflexion injuries are:
- during a football/rugby tackle and/or scrum
- falling downstairs
- whiplash.
3. Compression injuries
- Occur when the spinal cord is compressed following impact.
- Most commonly results in injuries to the cervical or thoracic spinal cord because the weight of the body is driven against the head by sudden, excessive compression
- Common causes of compression injuries are:
- a heavy object falling on the head
- diving injuries
- jumping from a height and landing feet first.
4. Distraction injuries
- Occur when the spinal cord is overstretched, or pulled apart
- Common causes of distraction injuries are:
- hanging
- football/rugby tackles
- gymnastics
- playground injuries to children.
5. Rotation injuries
- Occur when the head and body rotate in opposite directions
- Results in twisting of the muscle, ligaments, vertebrae and/or spinal cord
- Common causes of rotation injuries are:
- ejection from a motor vehicle
- motor vehicle injuries.