Sports-related Cervical Spinal Cord Injuries

The severity of a spinal cord injury depends on the part of the spinal cord that is affected. The higher the SCI on the vertebral column, or the closer it is to the brain, the more effect it has on body movement and one's sense of feeling.

Quadriplegia (aka tetraplegia) results from injuries to the spinal cord in the cervical (neck) region, with associated loss of muscle strength in all four extremities.

Complete SCI
A complete SCI produces total loss of all motor and sensory function below the level of injury. Nearly 50% of all SCIs are complete. Both sides of the body are equally affected. Even in the case of complete SCI, the spinal cord is rarely cut or transected. More commonly, loss of function is caused by a contusion or bruise to the spinal cord or by compromise of blood flow to the injured part of the spinal cord.

Incomplete SCI
In an incomplete SCI, some function remains below the primary level of the injury. A person with an incomplete injury may be able to move one arm or leg more than the other, or may have more functioning on one side of the body than the other.

Spinal concussions can also occur. These can be complete or incomplete, but spinal cord dysfunction is transient, generally resolving within one or two days. Football players are especially susceptible to spinal concussions and spinal cord contusions. The latter may produce neurological symptoms including numbness, tingling, electric shock-like sensations, and burning in the extremities.

Top 10 Sports Contributing to SCI

• Diving: 1,494 males, 131 females = 1,625
• Bicycling: 260 males, 27 females = 287
• Football: 128 males = 128
• Snow skiing: 108 males, 13 females = 121
• ATV/ATC: 101 males, 18 females = 119
• Horseback riding: 53 males, 56 females = 109
• Winter sports: 79 males, 20 females = 99
• Other sports: 69 males, 15 females = 84
• Surfing: 82 males, 2 females = 84
• Snowmobiles: 31 males, 5 females = 36

SCI Incidence

• About 89.8% of all sports-related SCIs occur in males.
• Diving accidents rank as the fourth leading cause of SCI in males and fifth leading cause in females.
• Sports and recreation-related SCI injuries primarily affect people under age 29.

Sports-related SCI by Age at Time of Injury

• Ages 0-15: 23.8%
• Ages 16-30: 14.7%
• Ages 31-45: 6.9%
• Ages 46-60: 3.4%
• Ages 61-75: 2.1%
• Ages 76-98: 0.4%

Source: The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, NSCISC 2006 Annual Statistical Report.

American Association of Neurological Surgeons
Neurosurgerytoday.org
Sports-related Neck Injury, September 2008

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