The spinal cord is made up of millions of nerve cells that send projections up and down the cord and out into other parts of the body. The information that allows us to sit, run, go to the toilet and breathe travels along these projections, called nerves. Whenever the hard vertebrae of the spinal column that protect the spinal cord are broken or dislocated, the nerves in the spinal cord are damaged, and cells may die. Cells of the spinal cord that are lost cannot be replaced by the body. Consequently, the function of the spinal cord becomes impaired, and patients may end up with severe movement and sensation disabilities.

NINDS information on spinal cord injury