[PDF] RIGHT LEFT - American Spinal Injury Association

How are spinal cord injuries graded?

SCIs are graded according to the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) grading scale, which describes the severity of the injury. The scale is graded with letters: ASIA A: injury is complete spinal cord injury with no sensory or motor function preserved. ASIA B: a sensory incomplete injury with complete motor function loss.

How many people are living with a spinal cord injury?

According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Association, as many as 450,000 people in the United States are living with a spinal cord injury (SCI). Other organizations conservatively estimate this figure to be about 250,000. Every year, an estimated 17,000 new SCIs occur in the U.S.

Where can I find a summary of a spinal injury?

For ease of reference, a fold-out summary chart of the recommended examination is included, with a summary of steps used to classify the injury. A full-size version for photocopying and use in patient records has been included as an enclosure and may also be downloaded from the ASIA website (www.asia-spinalinjury.org).

What causes a spinal cord injury (SCI)?

Every year, an estimated 17,000 new SCIs occur in the U.S. Most of these are caused by trauma to the vertebral column, thereby affecting the spinal cord's ability to send and receive messages from the brain to the body's systems that control sensory, motor and autonomic function below the level of injury.