Spinal Cord Injury Prevention

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is often preventable. The following suggestions, combined with good old common sense, can help you prevent an SCI.

Rules of the Road

• All passengers must always wear their seat belt
• Use age and weight appropriate child safety seats
• Children under age 12 should ride in the back seat secured or buckled in place
• Alcohol, drugs, and driving are not a safe mix
• Don't drive if sleepy
• New prescription? Check the label for side effects that could affect your ability to drive safely
• Avoid cell phone use while driving (that includes talking and texting!)

Protect Your Brain: Wear a helmet when…

• Riding a bike, motorcycle, scooter, or skateboard
• Roller skating, in-line skating
• Skiing, snowboarding
• Horseback riding
• Playing certain sports, including: baseball, football, ice hockey

Home Safety

• Remove rugs and power cords that could cause you to trip
• Secure stairway banisters and handrails
• Use a sturdy step stool with a grab bar
• Install grab bars in the shower and bathtub
• Place non-slip mats on shower floors and in the bathtub
• Use nightlights
• Children around? Install safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs
• Install window guards to protect children from falling out
• Lock up firearms and store bullets elsewhere

Play it Safe

• Playing sports? Wear the correct safety gear.
• Put your best foot forward. Check water depth before diving headfirst. Feet first is safer.
• Doing gymnastics? Use a qualified spotter.

Source
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control. http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/sciprevention.htm. Accessed September 25, 2008.