A spinal cord injury can result in loss of muscle to a larger extent than can be attributed to lack of movement and mobility. A new study points to one of the lesser known, but longer term consequences of a spinal cord injury after an auto accident.
A spinal cord injury is a serious personal injury that is caused when there is an injury to the spine during an auto accident, or motorcycle accident or pedestrian accident. Spinal cord injuries may also be caused in slip and fall accidents. The degree and severity of the spinal cord injury can depend on the location of the vertebrae where the injury occurs. Spinal cord injuries can result in loss of movement and mobility making it impossible for the person to stand, walk and otherwise use his or her limbs. These personal injuries significantly alter a person’s life and his ability to earn a living and live a normal life after the personal injury.
A new study finds that there are long term consequences of a spinal injury that we may not be aware of. The study recently found that a spinal cord injury can cause significant muscle wastage in patients. Some degree of muscle wastage in patients who have suffered a spinal cord injury is to be expected because of the lack of movement and exercise that can cause muscles to wither away. According to the study, however, the kind of muscle wastage that a person with these injuries suffers cannot simply be explained away by lack of movement. In fact, the researchers believe that it has more to do with the ability of the adrenal glands to receive nerve signals.