Basic care can prevent pressure sores

We’re finishing our discussion this week about how to identify and manage various pressure ulcers on people who are most susceptible to them, such as people required to be at bed rest, people with disabilities and people dealing with paralysis caused by a spinal cord injury.

Last week, we discussed what pressure ulcers are, how they can occur and how they can be identified, managed and even cured. Read previous article:  Spinal cord injuries may lead to pressure sores

This week, we want to discuss a host of other things that anyone susceptible to pressure ulcers should be aware of. Trust me, when it comes to pressure ulcers, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Continue Reading »

More powerful roadside bombs lead to increase in spinal injuries among troops

LANDSTUHL, Germany – Stronger armored vehicles are preventing more servicemembers in Afghanistan from being killed by roadside bombs. But the bombs are still powerful enough to cause severe skeletal and spinal injuries, the worst of which are leaving some paralyzed, Army surgeons say. Continue Reading »

Study Shows Rising Rate of Brain and Spinal Injuries in ATV Riders

Young Riders Have Highest Injury Rate—Helmets Could Reduce Risk

Newswise — Brain and spinal cord injuries related to all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) appear to be increasing, reports a study in the October issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of information and business intelligence for students, professionals, and institutions in medicine, nursing, allied health, and pharmacy. Continue Reading »

Stunt goes wrong

Former Jesse White tumbler sues group after paralyzing injury

Jarvis Williams dashed forward in the red-and-white uniform familiar to anyone who’s seen the Jesse White tumblers defy gravity. Going last in a line of acrobats during the parade in Wheeling, he gathered speed, bounded off the trampoline and turned two-and-a-half somersaults.

Williams would say later he had done the same daring maneuver at least 50 times. The Fenger High School senior had learned to make the jaw-dropping stunts look routine, just as thousands of other youngsters had done as members of the famous team named after Jesse White, the Illinois secretary of state. Continue Reading »

Spinal Cord Injury Patients Help U-M Effort To Prevent Diving Injuries

Matt Kerry was built burly and strong, primed for athletic success, and recruited heavily to play football on a college scholarship.

But one summer day on a Michigan lake, he made a split-second decision that thwarted a future as bright as the sun reflecting off the waves. The 6-foot-2, 240-pound young man dove into three feet of water. Hit the bottom, head first. Continue Reading »

Cape May lifeguard seeks beach improvements to reduce spinal-cord injuries

CAPE MAY – Shore towns do not like bad publicity, but this year, the city will spend $10,000 from its beach revenue to print a quarter-million brochures explaining to tourists that they could break their neck or back swimming or body surfing.

The city is taking the step due largely to the persistence of Chad de Satnick, a local lifeguard who broke his neck surfing Continue Reading »

Prevent Spinal Cord Injury At All Ages

(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Augusta, GA —Someone in the U.S. sustains a life-changing spinal cord injury every hour, but prevention takes only a second.

Spinal cord injuries can happen in an instant, and something as simple as forgetting to wear a seatbelt, tripping over a rug or not checking water levels before diving can have devastating consequences. The leading cause of spinal cord injury varies depending on a person’s age. But regardless of age, being aware and taking the appropriate precautions can help reduce your risk and your family’s risk of injury. Continue Reading »

Volunteer recognised for promoting spinal safety message

Volunteer recognised for promoting spinal safety message

Disability Services Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk today paid tribute to volunteer Wayne Leo for promoting spinal safety and injury prevention to 250,000 children across Queensland.

Ms Palaszczuk was attending a morning tea at the Spinal Injuries Association Queensland at Woolloongabba. Continue Reading »

Baylor study doubts neck brace standard

In some cases, device might hurt accident victims

Applying a brace to the neck of a trauma patient, standard procedure for many decades, can worsen the injury and lead to severe paralysis or death, according to a new study by Houston researchers.

Baylor College of Medicine doctors used cadavers to confirm that so-called cervical collars can be counterproductive, a finding that could upturn the way emergency medical personnel and doctors act to stabilize and protect the upper spine in potentially fatal neck injuries, such as those that commonly occur in bad automobile accidents. Continue Reading »

A Helmet to Prevent Paralysis

Engineers are designing a helmet that could protect the spine from serious injury.

Helmets for everything from football and hockey to motorcycle riding are built to protect the head from impact. Each successive generation of design is better at dissipating force and protecting against concussions and other knocks to the skull. But current helmets can still do little to prevent the spinal injuries that cause paralysis.

Now researchers at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver are working on a design that could protect the spine during a head-on collision. Continue Reading »