Paraplegia is paralysis of the lower body caused by damage to the spinal cord at the thoracic (T2 and below), lumbar, or sacral level. It affects movement and sensation in the legs and lower trunk. Paraplegia can be complete — total loss of function below the injury site — or incomplete, where some feeling or movement is preserved.
Getting a paraplegia diagnosis, for yourself or someone you love, raises immediate questions: How bad is it? What caused it? Can function come back? This guide answers those questions based on current medical understanding.
How the Spinal Cord Determines the Extent of Paralysis
The spinal cord carries signals between the brain and the rest of the body. Damage at any point along the cord cuts off those signals below the injury site.
Doctors describe spinal cord injuries by the region of the spine involved:
- Cervical (C1–C8): The neck. Injuries here affect the arms, hands, and legs — resulting in tetraplegia (also called quadriplegia), not paraplegia.
- Thoracic (T1–T12): The upper and mid-back. Injuries at T2 and below cause paraplegia. Arms and hands typically keep working.
- Lumbar (L1–L5): The lower back. Injuries here also produce paraplegia, often with some preserved hip or knee function depending on the exact level.
- Sacral (S1–S5): The base of the spine. Injuries here mainly affect the feet, bladder, and bowel.
The key point: paraplegia involves thoracic, lumbar, or sacral injuries. A neck injury produces tetraplegia, not paraplegia.
What Causes Paraplegia?
Paraplegia has two broad causes: traumatic and non-traumatic.
Traumatic Causes
Trauma causes most paraplegia cases. According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC), about 18,421 new traumatic spinal cord injuries occur each year in the United States.
Common traumatic causes include:
- Motor vehicle accidents — the leading cause of traumatic spinal cord injury
- Falls — the most common cause in adults over 65
- Sports injuries — diving into shallow water, contact sports, equestrian accidents
- Violence — gunshot wounds and other penetrating trauma
Non-Traumatic Causes
Paraplegia can also develop from medical conditions that damage the spinal cord over time:
- Spinal tumors — a growth pressing on or invading the cord
- Infections — a spinal abscess or spinal tuberculosis
- Autoimmune diseases — multiple sclerosis and transverse myelitis cause cord inflammation
- Vascular events — a spinal cord stroke cuts off blood supply to the cord
- Congenital conditions — spina bifida, where the spinal canal does not close properly before birth
Complete vs. Incomplete Paraplegia
Not all spinal cord injuries cause the same level of loss. Doctors classify them as complete or incomplete:
Complete paraplegia means no movement or sensation exists below the injury site. All nerve signals through the damaged segment are blocked.
Incomplete paraplegia means some nerve connections survive. A person may keep partial sensation, limited movement, or both. Outcomes for incomplete injuries vary widely. Some people regain meaningful function with rehabilitation.
The American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) uses a five-grade scale — A through E — to measure injury completeness. Grade A is a complete injury. Grade E indicates normal function. Grades B through D describe the range in between.
Symptoms of Paraplegia
Symptoms depend on the injury level and whether it is complete or incomplete. Most people experience some mix of the following:
- Loss of voluntary movement in the legs and lower trunk
- Loss of sensation — touch, temperature, and pain — below the injury level
- Bladder and bowel dysfunction
- Sexual dysfunction
- Chronic pain or pressure sensations, even in areas with reduced movement
- Muscle spasticity — involuntary stiffness or spasms in the legs
- Higher risk of pressure sores and urinary tract infections
Many of these secondary issues are manageable with consistent care and the right adaptive strategies.
Paraplegia Outlook and Treatment Options
There is no cure for complete spinal cord injuries right now. For incomplete injuries, the outlook is more variable — and often better.
Research shows roughly 80% of people with incomplete spinal cord injuries regain some walking ability through rehabilitation.
For complete injuries, the focus shifts to building independence and preventing secondary problems.
Physical and Occupational Therapy
Physical therapy is the core of spinal cord injury rehabilitation. Goals include:
- Strengthening muscles above the injury level
- Improving cardiovascular fitness
- Managing spasticity
- Learning safe transfers (wheelchair to bed, car, and back)
Occupational therapy helps people adapt daily tasks — cooking, dressing, driving — using modified methods and assistive devices.
Assistive Technology
Wheelchairs, hand-controlled vehicles, environmental control systems, and voice-activated devices expand independence considerably. Powered exoskeletons — wearable robotic frames — are used in some rehabilitation programs and continue to develop rapidly.
Surgical and Medical Treatment
After a traumatic injury, emergency surgery may decompress the spinal cord, remove bone fragments, or stabilize the spine. For non-traumatic paraplegia, treatment targets the underlying cause: removing a tumor, treating an infection, or managing an autoimmune disease.
Emerging Research
Stem cell therapy, nerve regeneration treatments, and brain-computer interfaces are all under active investigation. These remain experimental as of 2026 and are not standard care, but research in this area is moving faster than at any previous point.
Frequently Asked Questions About Paraplegia
What is the difference between paraplegia and quadriplegia?
Paraplegia affects the lower body — legs and lower trunk — from injury to the thoracic, lumbar, or sacral spinal cord. Quadriplegia (tetraplegia) affects both the arms and legs and results from a cervical (neck) injury. Both are spinal cord injuries, but the affected body regions differ.
Can people with paraplegia walk again?
It depends on whether the injury is complete or incomplete. People with incomplete injuries may regain some walking ability through rehabilitation. People with complete paraplegia generally rely on wheelchairs for mobility, though therapy still builds strength, posture, and overall health.
Is paraplegia permanent?
Complete paraplegia is generally permanent with current medical technology, though research continues. Incomplete paraplegia often allows for meaningful recovery with aggressive rehabilitation — especially in the months right after the injury, when the nervous system responds best to treatment.
What spinal cord level causes paraplegia?
Paraplegia results from injuries at the thoracic level (T2 through T12), lumbar level (L1 through L5), or sacral level (S1 through S5). Injuries at the cervical (neck) level produce tetraplegia, not paraplegia.
What are the most common causes of paraplegia?
The leading cause is trauma from motor vehicle accidents, followed by falls, sports injuries, and violence. Non-traumatic causes include spinal tumors, infections, autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis, and congenital conditions like spina bifida.
Sources & Official Resources
Medical & Research Sources
- National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC) — 2025 Facts and Figures
- Cleveland Clinic — Paraplegia: Definition, Causes, Symptoms, Types & Treatment
- Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation — Complete vs. Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury
- Shepherd Center — Types and Levels of Spinal Cord Injury
- American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) — Impairment Scale Classification
Contact The Orlow Firm
If a spinal cord injury to you or someone in your family was caused by someone else's negligence — a car accident, a construction site fall, or another preventable incident — you may have legal rights worth pursuing.
Our Queens spinal cord injury lawyers at The Orlow Firm have worked with injury victims in Queens and New York City since 1982. We offer free consultations with no obligation, and you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. Se Habla Español.
Call us at (646) 647-3398 or reach out online today.
