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Spinal Cord Injury Causes
According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical
Center at the University of Alabama, the leading causes of
spinal cord injuries are:
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Vehicular accidents (44%)
This category includes:
- Automobile accidents
(35%)
- Motorcycle accidents
(nearly 6%), and
- All terrain vehicle
(ATV) accidents (0.2%)
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Violence (28%)
Most of these spinal cord injuries involve gunshot wounds.
Although violence causes less spinal cord injuries as age
increases, this category is the one that is most rapidly increasing.
Falls (21%)
Falls overtake motor vehicles as the leading cause of spinal
cord injuries after age 45.
Sports (6%)
Two-thirds of the sports-related spinal cord injuries are
diving accidents. The majority of diving accidents occur when
water is less than 3 ¼ feet deep, but many spinal cord
injuries also occur when the diver's head hits the bottom
or side of the pool. Other sports-related accidents include
skiing and trampoline accidents.
Boating mishaps, snowmobile, bicycling and aircraft accidents
account for the remaining 3% of spinal cord injury causes.
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