Tetraplegia

Question 1

What is tetraplegia?

Answer 1

When the level of injury is high enough in the spinal cord that it affects both UE’s and LE’s

Question 2

What are you at risk for at T6 and above spinal level for a spinal cord injury?

Answer 2

Autonomic dysreflexia
Respiratory compromise

Question 3

What is autonomic dysreflexia?

Answer 3

Life-threatening
Parasympathetic response cannot travel down to the location where a sympathetic response is activated

Question 4

What type of activities are patients with a C1-C4 SCI dependent on?

Answer 4

-Bed mobility
-Transfers
-Pressure relief
-Feeding, grooming, dressing, bathing (self care)

Question 5

What key muscles are innervated and still functional/slightly functional with a C1-C4 SCI?

Answer 5

Face/neck muscles
Cranial nerve
Diaphragm (partial innervation at C3/C4)

Question 6

What are the available movements for C1-C4 SPI?

Answer 6

Talking
Mastication
Sipping
Blowing
Scapular elevation

Question 7

What key muscles are innervated and still functional/slightly functional with a C5 SCI?

Answer 7

Biceps
Brachialis
Brachioradialis
Deltoid
Infraspinatus
Rhomboid (major/minor)
Supinator

Question 8

What are the available movements with a C5 SCI?

Answer 8

Elbow flexion and supination
Shoulder ER
Shoulder ABD and flexion to 90˚

Question 9

What key muscles are innervated and still functional/slightly functional with a C6 SCI?

Answer 9

Extensor carpi radialis
Infraspinatus
Latissimus dorsi
Pectoralis major (clavicular portion)
Pronator teres
Serratus anterior
Teres minor

Question 10

What are the available movements with a C6 SCI?

Answer 10

Shoulder flexion, extension, IR, ADD
Scapular ABD, protraction, and upward rotation
Forearm pronation
Wrist extension (tenodesis grasp)

Question 11

What key muscles are innervated and still functional/slightly functional with a C7 SCI?

Answer 11

Extensor pollicis longus and brevis Extrinsic finger extensors
Flexor carpi radialis
Triceps

Question 12

What are the available movements with a C7 SCI?

Answer 12

Elbow extension
Wrist flexion
Finger extesnion

Question 13

What key muscles are innervated and still functional/slightly functional with a C8 SCI?

Answer 13

Extrinsic finger flexors
Flexor carpi ulnaris
Elexor pollicis longus and breves
Intrisic finger flexor

Question 14

What are the available movements with a C8 SCI?

Answer 14

Finger flexion