Edmund Critchley – författare

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Spinal Cord Injury or disease can happen to anyone at any time and the effects can be devastating. I found this out personally when I was thrown from the back of a pick up truck at age 15 was left paralyzed from the waist down. It was during my recuperation as a young teenager that I first gained insight into the importance of rehabilitation. My family, doctors, nurses, fellow patients and researchers who were dedicated to helping me over­ come my personal tragedy helped me pull through. Today, rehabilita­ tion medicine is taking great strides and empowering the person with the injury to take control of their future, overcome their setbacks and, through collaborative support, reach their personal goals and potential. Since 1987 the Legacy raised by my Man in Motion World Tour (24901 miles wheeled around the world March 1985-May 1987) has pro­ $13 million dollars to research and rehabilitation in the areas vided over of spinal cord injury. I hope that in some small way this funding has contributed to the development of the vital programmes that supported me and many others. The effects of spinal cord injury are traumatic and life-shattering and require a skilled interdisciplinary approach. I congratulate those who have contributed to this book and challenge each one of you to never give up on your dreams to find the answers to the optimum treatment of spinal cord injury and disease.

Spinal Cord Injury or disease can happen to anyone at any time and the effects can be devastating. I found this out personally when I was thrown from the back of a pick up truck at age 15 was left paralyzed from the waist down. It was during my recuperation as a young teenager that I first gained insight into the importance of rehabilitation. My family, doctors, nurses, fellow patients and researchers who were dedicated to helping me over­ come my personal tragedy helped me pull through. Today, rehabilita­ tion medicine is taking great strides and empowering the person with the injury to take control of their future, overcome their setbacks and, through collaborative support, reach their personal goals and potential. Since 1987 the Legacy raised by my Man in Motion World Tour (24901 miles wheeled around the world March 1985-May 1987) has pro­ $13 million dollars to research and rehabilitation in the areas vided over of spinal cord injury. I hope that in some small way this funding has contributed to the development of the vital programmes that supported me and many others. The effects of spinal cord injury are traumatic and life-shattering and require a skilled interdisciplinary approach. I congratulate those who have contributed to this book and challenge each one of you to never give up on your dreams to find the answers to the optimum treatment of spinal cord injury and disease.

The spinal cord is a long structure, conslstmg of white and grey matter, that not only serves to provide a neural connection between the brain and the body, but also contains neural circuits that are organized segmentally and that are responsive to central and peripheral sensory input. Thus the spinal cord is capable of some behavioural activity that is of clinical significance, and that is more evident when higher modulation is disturbed. The released activity of spasticity, and the disturbances of bladder and bowel control that occur in patients with spinal cord lesions are examples. The spinal cord is well protected within its bony canal but is, nonetheless, susceptible to compression by degenerative joint or bone disease, or by neoplasm. Spinal cord compression is a common clinical problem that is not always easy to recognize. However, it is particularly important because of the good re­ sults of appropriate treatment and the unfortunate consequences should the diagnosis be missed. Many other medical and surgical disorders affect the spinal cord, including vascular disease, decom­ pression sickness, degenerative disorders and multiple sclerosis. In this book Dr. Critchley and Dr. Eisen, and their col­ laborators, chosen for their expertise and experience in spinal cord disorders, have gathered together descriptions of the symp­ toms and signs of spinal cord disease.