Wheelchairs And Accessories

Question: Are people who end up paraplegics in wheelchairs after breaking their backs just lazy or weak willed?

(Posted by: Ryan on 2010-01-10 12:58:27)

I.E. some people can return to normal after breaking their backs by working hard at physiotherapy but others with the same injury end up in a wheelchair

Posted by: Georgie on 2010-01-10, 18:34:14

Are you serious? People who end up in wheel chairs, have done major damage to their spinal cord, the higher up the spinal injury it will cause tetraplegia/ quadriplegia, lower down spinal injuries causes paraplegia. The spinal cord sends messages between the brain and bodies muscles, bladder, bowel and other bodily functions, when damaged or severed they loose the ability to recognize the signals from the brain and body, therefore causing altered or absent voluntary movement and impaired body functions below the injury. People who have suffered a spinal injury but were able to walk at a later stage, often have what is called an incomplete spinal injury. But they may still have some trouble in walking and may also have some other impaired bodily function.

Posted by: w61earl on 2010-01-10, 13:05:57

Try it sometime, moron.

Posted by: kid on the block on 2010-01-10, 13:54:53

If you bothered to read the stories properly you would realise that what causes the paralysis is nerve damage. So, if you break the vertebrae it can be described as a fractured spine but if the fragments don't damage the nerves then you will recover. Sometimes the tissues swell after injury and this can cause temporary paralysis. If the cord has been cut then recovery is currently impossible, if the injury is more of a crush then some nerves may recover. There are some techniques using electrical stimulation which can provide some movement, some people find it useful others don't like it and some patients find they have skin problems when using it. Believe me, there are patients who are desperate to walk again, desperate to become active but who are limited by their injury - look at the bloke who has just sailed the Atlantic but still needed a carer to get him to bed and get him dressed etc.

Posted by: stanthemansmum on 2010-01-10, 14:03:26

It depends on the severity of the injury. If the spinal cord is completely snapped, there is no way that they will ever walk. Some with partially severed spinal cords might be able to do more. Most people who are paraplegics would do anything to be able to walk again and to call those that will never walk again lazy or week willed is sick!!!!!

Posted by: gordon3392 on 2010-01-10, 14:08:17

You just cant say this you may just end up yourself in a wheelchair yourself then get back to us all and tell us how you feel ,

Posted by: RubyRottie on 2010-01-10, 17:20:26

Weak willed? Lazy? You are unbelievably stupid at best!

Posted by: S P on 2010-01-11, 16:24:31

Breaking a back and breaking a spinal cord are two different things. People with broken backs only can get up and walk. They still have nerves. People with severed spinal cords have absolutely no nerves. Which means they are PARALYZED from the point of the spinal cord being severed.