The spine is divided into several sections.

• The first 7 bones are the cervical vertebrae which make up the neck.
• The next 12 bones are the thoracic vertebrae which is the chest section which has the ribs attached.
• The next 5 bones are the lumbar vertebrae which are the lower part of the back.
• The sacral vertebrae are the next 4 bones which are all fused together and are caged within the bones of the pelvis.
• The final bone of the spine is the coccyx, known as the tail bone.

Injury to the spinal cord can cause serious and long-term problems, depending on the area involved, including:

• loss of feeling in the hands and/or legs
• paralysis (inability to move)
  • paraplegia is inability to move from the waist down and is caused by injury to the lower cervical spine, lumbar, or thoracic vertebrae.
  • quadraplegia is inability to move from the neck down (including arms and legs) and is casued by injury to the cervial spine.
• loss of movement and voluntary control over the muscles in the body
• loss of reflex function below the point of injury, causing disruption of bodily functions such as:
  • breathing (damage to the upper cervical spine),
  • bowel control, and
  • bladder control.

In the event of a suspected spinal injury, call for emergency help by dialing 9-1-1 and take steps to prevent the person from moving until he or she can be fully immobilized by trained medical personnel. The smallest movement can mean the difference between a full recovery and a lifetime of paralysis.