Paraplegia Overview

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Learn About Paraplegia

What is the definition of Paraplegia?
Paraplegia is a paralysis which affects all or part of the lower body, the trunk, legs, and pelvic organs. Paralysis involves a loss of muscle control and can be complete or partial.  While there are different types and causes of paraplegia, the most common type is caused by spinal cord injury due to trauma (motor vehicle accidents, falls, violence, sports or recreation injuries, alcohol use, or gunshot or knife wound) that damages the spinal cord. After a traumatic spinal cord injury, additional damage often occurs over time due to bleeding, swelling, and inflammation. In contrast, non-traumatic spinal cord injury may be caused by arthritis, cancer, inflammation, infections, nerve or autoimmune diseases, polio, or disk degeneration of the spine.
What are the symptoms of Paraplegia?
Symptoms of paraplegia include loss of sensation and movement in the lower limbs, loss of bladder or bowel control, muscle spasms, changes in sexual function, and pain.
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What are the current treatments for Paraplegia?
Currently, there is no treatment available to reverse the damage to the spinal cord; however, emerging treatments are constantly being developed, such as prostheses and newer assistive technologies, including modern wheelchairs, computer adaptations, and electronic aids for daily living, electrical stimulation devices, robotic gait training, and medications that may spur nerve cell regeneration. Initial treatment after acute injury and diagnosis may include corticosteroids, immobilization, and surgery. Long term treatment is focused on rehabilitation as well as physical and occupational therapy.
Who are the top Paraplegia Local Doctors?
Elite in Paraplegia
Giovanni Stevanin
Elite in Paraplegia
Giovanni Stevanin

Erasmus MC

Rotterdam, ZH, NL 

Giovanni Stevanin practices in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Mr. Stevanin is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Paraplegia. His top areas of expertise are Spastic Paraplegia Type 7, Paraplegia, Spasticity, and Acute Cerebellar Ataxia.

Elite in Paraplegia
Rebecca E. Schule
Elite in Paraplegia
Rebecca E. Schule
Hoppe Seyler Str. 3, 
Tuebingen, BW, DE 

Rebecca Schule practices in Tuebingen, Germany. Ms. Schule is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Paraplegia. Her top areas of expertise are Spastic Paraplegia Type 7, Paraplegia, Spasticity, and Spastic Paraplegia Type 2.

 
 
 
 
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Elite in Paraplegia
Ludger J. Schols
Elite in Paraplegia
Ludger J. Schols
Hoppe Seyler Str. 3, 
Tuebingen, BW, DE 

Ludger Schols practices in Tuebingen, Germany. Mr. Schols is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Paraplegia. His top areas of expertise are Paraplegia, Spastic Paraplegia Type 7, Spasticity, and Drug Induced Dyskinesia.

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What are the latest Paraplegia Clinical Trials?
Strength Training With Eccentric Arm-cranking in Para-athletes
Strength Training With Eccentric Arm-cranking in Para-athletes
Enrollment Status: Recruiting
Publish Date: October 08, 2025
Intervention Type: Other
Study Phase: Not Applicable

Summary: The new training device, the eccentric arm-crank, will be examined for its training effects in athletes with a spinal cord injury (SCI) by this project. That the training device can be used in patients with paraplegia in the future, the so-called testing of the applicability of this concept will be carried out during this study. Fourteen volunteer, healthy athletes with SCI are first tested for th...

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Clinical and Molecular Manifestations of Neuromuscular and Neurogenetic Disorders of Childhood
Clinical and Molecular Manifestations of Neuromuscular and Neurogenetic Disorders of Childhood
Enrollment Status: Recruiting
Publish Date: October 07, 2025

Background: \- Some nerve and muscle disorders that start early in life (before age 25), like some forms of muscular dystrophy, can run in families. However, the genetic causes of these disorders are not known. Also, doctors do not fully understand how symptoms of these disorders change over time. Researchers want to learn more about genetic nerve and muscle disorders that start in childhood by studying affec...

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