Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation

Spinal cord injuries and resulting dysfunction significantly impact your life. They can affect everything, including your ability to walk, use your arms, swallow and breathe. They can also impact your bowel, bladder, sexual and cardio-respiratory function.

Meaningful outcomes and recovery after a spinal cord injury require intensive rehabilitation provided by an experienced, consultant-led team. At Cleveland Clinic London, we help people with spinal cord dysfunction resulting from trauma, tumours, cancer, infections and autoimmune disorders reach their full potential.

Our spinal cord injury rehabilitation programme offers:

• Team approach: You receive coordinated care from spinal rehabilitation specialists, neurologists, neurosurgeons, respiratory therapists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, wheelchair specialists, orthotists, case managers, psychologists and specialised spinal nurses. We optimise every aspect of your recovery so you can return to your life as quickly as possible.
• Care for complex conditions: We have the expertise and capabilities to care for the most complex medical needs, including people with tetraplegia (paralysis from the neck down) who are ventilator or tracheostomy dependent.
• Innovative technology: You have access to the most sophisticated robotic technology available. Robotic devices such as exoskeletons re-establish communication between your brain, spinal cord and the nerves that control muscle and joint movements. These advanced therapies help you medically stabilise and regain skills for daily living faster.

Spinal cord injuries can be acute or chronic:

• Acute traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) results from sudden trauma to the spinal column. Your spinal column is made up of vertebrae, discs, ligaments and facet joints. It protects your spinal cord, a collection of nerves that runs from your brain down your back. Vehicle accidents, falls and violence are common causes of acute spinal cord injuries.
• Acute non-traumatic SCI could result from acute inflammation, infection or a stroke involving the spinal cord.
• Chronic spinal cord injury is a condition that develops over time. Chronic spinal cord injuries can result from surgery, deformity, chronic disc prolapse, spinal tumours, chronic spinal infections or degenerative diseases.

We offer comprehensive care for people with acute and chronic spinal cord injuries, as well as the many issues that can result from spinal cord injury and dysfunction, including:

• Paralysis and loss of sensation in your upper and/or lower body.
• Respiratory problems, including ventilator and tracheostomy dependency and sleep apnoea.
• Bedsores (pressure injuries) due to immobility.
• Changes in psychological health, mood, emotions or behaviour.
• Joint dysfunction.
• Neurogenic bladder or bowel (bladder or bowel dysfunction).
• Neuropathic pain (chronic nerve pain).
• Sexual dysfunction.
• Spasticity.
• Disuse osteoporosis.
• Joint deformity and muscle contractures.
• Inability to drive.

Our Approach to Spinal Injury, Rehabilitation and Recovery

We help you regain as much function as possible so you can transition back to your home, job and community with maximum independence. Specialist consultants, therapists, nurses and case managers support you at every stage of your journey. Our doctors and therapists support your continued recovery and restoration of functional goals after discharge.

Your rehabilitation plan may include:

• Individualised therapy with physical, occupational, speech and respiratory therapists.
• Nutritional services to maintain a healthy weight.
• Robotic rehabilitation to regain upper and lower limb movement and function.
• Spinal cord stimulators, nerve blocks or baclofen pumps for chronic pain and spasticity.
• Treatments for neurogenic bladder or bowel.
• Virtual reality simulations for improved sensory function.
• Wheelchair seating, posture and positioning interventions.

Learn More About Rehabilitation

Contact us or call +44 20 3370 9192 for more information about our rehabilitation services.

Refer a patient

GPs and consultants can refer patients quickly and easily to our rehabilitation clinic. Call +44 20 3423 7777 to get started.

Paying for care

We make it easier to access expert rehabilitation care in the U.K. Read more about payment information, including options for self-pay and private medical insurance. If you are coming to us from another country, learn more about coordination available through Global Patient Services.