SCI Flashcards
Types of SCI
Complete
Incomplete- sacral sparing.
Types of incomplete
Central cord
Anterior cord
Brown sequard
Cauda equina
Why would a complete result in flaccidity
Flaccidity at level of lesion due to destruction of nerve cells, so no motor control
Why would complete lead to spasticity below
Spasticity occurs below level of lesion as anterior horn cells recover and fire motor output but have no higher level control, which causes muscle spasms
Define tone
Resistance to passive movement or readiness of a muscle to contract, velocity dependent
Why stretch slowly
Do not want to trigger muscle spindle to cause contraction, we want to trigger the golgi tendon organ to relax the muscle
What is autonomic dysreflexia
It is an abnormal autonomic response to pain that occurs in people who have had a SCI. The body is hyperresponsive to stimuli and responds with triggering the sympathetic nervous system - fight or flight.
What area of brain controls autonomic nervous system
Brain stem and hypothalamus
How could autonomic dysreflexia present and what causes it
High blood pressure, headache, dizziness.
Causes by: blocked catheter, awkward limb position,pressure sores
