Your central hub for information, support tools, and practical advice.

We have a wealth of knowledge to share with you about living with a spinal cord injury (SCI), and have pulled this together in this section to help you access the information you need, when you need it.

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Watch Jade walk about the top five frequently asked questions from Policy and Advocacy's first NDIS Workshop

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The University of Sydney’s Spinal Cord Injury Mind and HeART (SMART) Trial team has been set up to assess how...

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International perspectives on spinal cord injury

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The Economic Cost of Spinal Cord Injury and TBI in Australia

Extensive information and statistics on the economic cost of spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury in Australia.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is damage to the spinal cord that results in a loss of function, such as mobility, sensation and reflexes. The spinal cord is a long, tube-like band of tissue running from the brain down through the centre of the spine.

The spinal cord carries messages between the brain and the rest of the body, managing the body’s movement and sensation. When it’s damaged, these functions can be disrupted or lost.

Two main types of SCI

Complete SCI, which means a total loss of function and sense below the site of the injury.
Incomplete SCI means some residual function and sensation below the location of the damage.

Symptoms of SCI

Various factors, including accidents, sports injuries and violence, can cause spinal cord injury. Some medical conditions can also cause SCI, such as cancer, infection or inflammation. Meanwhile, these factors can result in a range of symptoms, including:

Loss of movement or feeling in the body below the site of the injury
Pain or discomfort
Difficulty with bladder and bowel control
Sexual dysfunction
Difficulty breathing
Problems with blood pressure and heart rate
And more

Treatment for spinal cord injury

It involves a combination of medical, physical and rehabilitation therapies. The goal of treatment is to maximise function and independence and to manage any complications that may arise. BTW, SCIA operates NeuroMoves, an innovative, holistic, evidence-based exercise and therapy service for people with a neurological condition or physical disability. The service can help people with spinal cord injuries improve their health and well-being by maximising mobility, function, and independence.

Additionally, we have built up a factsheet for the topic. Please access the page to learn more about spinal cord injury if interested.