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  1. About Spinal Cord Injury
  2. Understanding Spinal Cord Injury

Understanding Spinal Cord Injury

What is Spinal Cord Injury?

Spinal cord injury occurs when there is any damage to the spinal cord that blocks communication between the brain and the body. Read more

Published: 1st February, 2019

Updated: 18th February, 2021

Author: Hannah Wyatt

What is the spinal cord?

The spinal cord is about as thick as a finger and some twenty inches long. It is a part of your nervous system, made up of bundles of nerve fibres carrying messages from the brain to all parts of the body. Read more

Published: 18th March, 2015

Updated: 12th April, 2019

Author: Hannah Wyatt

What is the spine?

The spine consists of a chain of bony rings called vertebrae which provide support for our whole body, linking head, shoulders, chest and pelvis. There are 33 vertebrae which are divided into 5 major sections. Read more

Published: 18th March, 2015

Updated: 12th April, 2019

Author: Hannah Wyatt

Post injury

Injuries to the spinal cord do not usually cut through the cord. However, they do cause damage to the thin, fibrous nerve fibres within the spinal column. The most obvious effect of spinal cord injury is the reduced ability to move and feel things below the level of injury. Read more

Published: 9th March, 2015

Updated: 12th April, 2019

Author: Hannah Wyatt

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Showing 10 of 4

Latest

  • Paula Craig MBE swims the English Channel as part of a relay

    Paula Craig MBE swims the English Channel as part of a relay

    The team arrived in France after swimming for 14 hours and 3 minutes

  • Potential sources of funding

    Organisations which may be able to provide funding.

  • Paula Craig MBE to become the first person with a complete Spinal Cord Injury to swim the English Channel without a wetsuit

    Paula Craig MBE to become the first person with a complete Spinal Cord Injury to swim the English Channel without a wetsuit

    Paula Craig MBE is swimming the English Channel to mark the 21st anniversary since she sustained a spinal cord injury

  • Join Lerona and the team cycling from London to Amsterdam

    Join Lerona and the team cycling from London to Amsterdam

    Join Lerona's team and cycle or handcycle from London to Amsterdam

Most read

  • Welfare Benefits Advice

    Our free advice service provides advice and support to people with Spinal Cord Injury

  • Our purpose

    Our purpose

    How we support the 50,000 people living with Spinal Cord Injury in the UK

  • Solent Swim 2022

    Solent Swim 2022

    Swim the Solent to the Isle of Wight

  • Contact Us

    Contact details for Aspire and all of our services. We always welcome feedback, comments or drop in to us any time, day or night and we'll be happy to see you.

  • Job vacancies

    View current job vacancies at Aspire, a national charity providing practical help to people who have been paralysed by Spinal Cord Injury.

  • Swimming

    Swimming

    From the pool based Aspire Channel Swim to swimming the English Channel as part of a relay team, Aspire is known for its expertise in swimming events.

  • Accessible housing

    Accessible housing

    Our Housing Programme offers temporary accessible housing for people with Spinal Cord Injury around the UK

  • Relay Channel Swim 2023

    Relay Channel Swim 2023

    Swim 22 miles between Dover and France in a team of six. Each swimmer will take it in turn to swim for an hour until they reach France

  • Help with independent living

    Our Independent Living Advisors provide advice and guidance to patients in Spinal Injury Centres

  • How Assistive Technology can help you

    Aspire's Assistive Technology Programme enables everyone, regardless of the level of their spinal cord injury, to independently use a computer, tablet or phone.

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News

Latest tweet

  • We’re hiring! We need a part-time Tenant Support Officer to be in regular contact with our tenants. If you have c… https://t.co/LsiVmO2ME2

    8thAugust, 2022 @AspireCharity
  • Last month we held our virtual #PatientEducation conference. Our Patient Education Administrators provide administr… https://t.co/8VgVGc1ukQ

    6thAugust, 2022 @AspireCharity
  • Watch Paula Craig talking about her amazing achievement swimming the Channel. To sponsor her go to… https://t.co/JEMTJfPw6T

    5thAugust, 2022 @AspireCharity

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