Spinal injury
Spinal cord damage once thought irreversible may be reversible, after researchers grew miniature brain and spinal circuits in the lab. The early-stage research suggests nerve fibres connecting the brain and spinal cord may be able to regrow after damage if key biological signals are targeted. The findings could help scientists understand why paralysis and other [...]
VR could help brain and spinal patients practise rehabilitation earlier and more often after serious injury or surgery, research suggests. An early-stage study looked at whether virtual reality technology could support patients recovering on busy hospital wards, where therapy time is often limited. Researchers wanted to see whether the approach could give patients [...]
A new spinal treatment may improve recovery after injury by targeting a chemical reaction that can worsen nerve damage in the first hours. Spinal cord injuries can worsen after the initial trauma, as chemical damage spreads through the nervous system. The experimental approach aims to interrupt that process early by removing excess glutamate [...]
By Ruth Hunt It is estimated that each year there are 4,400 new cases of someone sustaining a spinal cord injury (SCI). For these people it is crucial they receive specialist treatment not only when they are first injured but as they embark on their journey living with such complex disabilities. Why SCI are such complex injuries is they involve damage to the spinal cord [...]
By Robert Dransfield, Partner, Penningtons Manches Cooper The National Suspected Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES) Pathway published by Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) in 2023 was intended to address long-standing delays in diagnosis and treatment of this critical condition. Since its introduction, a number of UK clinicians have published audits and service reviews examining how [...]
The Wings for Life World Run raised a record €9.2m for spinal cord injury research, the event organisers said. The 13th edition of the global fundraising event took place on Sunday, with 346,527 participants across 173 countries. Runners, walkers and wheelchair users from 192 nationalities took part through seven flagship runs, 648 app run events [...]
The Spinal Injuries Association ‘I Didn’t Plan on This’ podcast has been nominated as podcast/audio campaign of the year at the UK Content Awards. The podcast series released in February 2026 was created to give voice and visibility to people whose lives are shaped, directly or indirectly by spinal cord injury (SCI). The nomination recognises [...]
Spinal cord injury can disrupt breastfeeding by affecting milk let-down and triggering dangerous blood pressure spikes, research suggests. In Canada, exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first six months of a baby's life, with continued breastfeeding encouraged into the toddler years. For women with spinal cord injury, or SCI, this can present distinct physiological and [...]
A brain-controlled exoskeleton tested in an early study may one day help people with spinal cord injury walk again. The system used brain signals to control a robotic walking exoskeleton and sent artificial leg sensations back through direct electrical stimulation, creating a two-way link. Researchers said this type of setup may help address key limits [...]
Leading neurorehabilitation charity Neurokinex is delighted to announce it has received over £19,000 of National Lottery funding to support its Step Up Scheme, enabling 40 individuals to access vital early-stage rehabilitation following spinal cord injury. The Step Up Scheme offers six free sessions of activity-based rehabilitation to people who are newly injured or diagnosed within [...]
