Spinal cord injury (SCI) affects approximately 1,275,000 in the US, with at least 12,000 new cases occurring each year. The spinal cord runs down the middle of the back through the spinal canal, protected by hard vertebrae.
Spinal cord injuries typically result from trauma that fractures or dislodges one or more vertebrae, causing the spinal cord to be pinched or torn. The majority of injuries don’t cut through the actual spinal cord. Rather, they cause damage when pieces of vertebrae tear into the cord or press on or “pinch” the peripheral nerves parts that carry signals from the spinal cord to the body.
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11 Spinal Cord Injury Statistics in the US
- Men account for nearly 82% of SCI patients (women=18%)
- 50-70% of all new SCI cases each year occur in people ages 15-35
- Estimated racial/ethnic distribution in all SCI patients:
- White: 67%
- African American: 24%
- Hispanic: 8%
- Other (Native American/Asian): 1%
- 2/3 of sports/recreation-related SCI are from diving (pools)
- Breakdown of SCI Neurological Category (of all SCI)
- Quadriplegia, incomplete 31.2%
- Quadriplegia, complete 17.5%
- Paraplegia, incomplete 23.1%
- Paraplegia, complete 28.2%
- Average Hospital Stays for SCI Patients:
- Quadriplegics 95 days
- Paraplegics 67 days
- All (average) 79 days
- Less than 1% of SCI patients experience complete neurologic recovery by hospital discharge.
- From 1973-79, the average age at injury was 28.7 years, since 2010, the average age at injury is now 42.6 years.
- 57.1% of SCI patients were employed at the time of injury.
- One year after injury, only 11.8% of SCI patients remain employed or go back to work.
- Marital Status: 51.6% of patients are single at the time an SCI occurs. The likelihood of getting married after an SCI is slightly reduced, as is the probability of an existing marriage remaining intact in comparison with non-injured people.
Life Expectancy Data
Life expectancy is defined as the average remaining years of life for a person. Life expectancies for SCI patients are still significantly below the average life expectancies for those with no SCI. These figures have remained fairly constant and have not improved since the mid 1980’s. Mortality rates are significantly higher during the first year after the initial SCI than during subsequent years, particularly for severely injured persons.
*Note – The leading causes of death associated with the life expectancies pictured above have been (1) pneumonia and (2) septicemia, followed by (3) renal failure.
2013 Costs of Living with SCI
The following demonstrates average yearly expense adjusted to reflect February 2013 dollars:
- High Tetraplegia: First Year=$1,044,197 Following Years=$181,328
- Low Tetraplegia: First Year=$754,524, Following Years=$111,237
- Paraplegia: First Year=$508,904 Following Years=$67,415
- Incomplete motor function of any level: First Year=$340,787, Following Years=$41,393
The following demonstrates average lifetime costs adjusted to reflect February 2013 dollars based on the average age of initial injury:
- High Tetraplegia: 25 yrs. old=$4,633,137, 50 yrs. old=$2,546,294
- Low Tetraplegia: 25 yrs. old=$3,385,259, 50 yrs. old=$2,082,237
- Paraplegia: 25 yrs. old=$2,265,584, 50 yrs. old=$1,486,835
- Incomplete motor function of any level: 25 yrs. old=$1,547,858, 50 yrs. old=$1,092,521
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