How common are spinal cord injuries today?

Spinal cord injuries are considered to be epidemic and costly for modern society. More than 250,000 persons in the US live with spinal cord injuries today. Of this number, about 42,000 are military veterans. Data reveal that young men ages 15 to 35 are most commonly affected with spinal cord injuries.

Spinal cord injuries appear to peak in young adulthood with links to automobile crashes, diving accidents, gunshot wounds, and war injuries. Because there is better care for spinal cord injuries, including immediate immobilization after an injury, more people are living through this trauma with milder injuries.

Still, while new medical discoveries are helping doctors understand more about the spinal cord and how to intervene medically, there are few good medical treatments known to help people completely recover from spinal injuries. Many times a spinal cord injury can be devastating to the person and their family and friends. Oftentimes, a spinal cord causes severe and permanent disability.