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Learn more in our Frequently Asked Questions.

How many people are affected by SCI?

Research estimates that there are about 18,000 new cases of SCIs annually and about 255,000 to 390,000 people currently living with an SCI in the United States.1 

The majority of SCIs occur in young to middle-aged adults. In the 1970s, the average age at injury was 29 years; in the 2010s, that age increased to 43.2

Who is at risk for SCI?

SCIs are typically the result of accidents and therefore can happen to anyone.

Factors that increase the risk of SCI:

  • Driving or riding in a car. Using a seatbelt can reduce the possibility of an SCI by more than half; using a seatbelt plus having a functioning airbag can cut the odds of this injury even more significantly.3,4
  • Being male. 80% of spinal cord injury patients are male.5
  • Operating machinery without using safety equipment6
  • Improper or unsafe use of a ladder, which can result in a fall from the ladder7
  • Using drugs or alcohol while driving, operating machinery, or playing sports8
  • Having arthritis, osteoporosis, or another bone or joint disorder9

Citations

  1. National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center. (2011). Spinal cord injury facts and figures at a glance. Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, 35(4), 197-197. PMCID: PMC342587
  2. National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center. (2011). Spinal cord injury facts and figures at a glance. Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, 35(4), 197-197. PMCID: PMC342587
  3. Clayton, B., MacLennan, P. A., McGwinn, G., Jr. Rue, L. W., III, Kirkpatrick, J. S. Cervical spine injury and restraint system use in motor vehicle collisions. Spine 2004 February;29(4):386-389.
  4. Thompson, W. L., Steill, I. G., Clement, C. M., Brison, R. J. (2009). Association of injury mechanism with the risk of cervical spine fractures. Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine, 11(1):14-22.
  5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2010). Spinal Cord Injury (SCI): Fact Sheet. Retrieved June 21, 2012, from http://www.cdc.gov/TraumaticBrainInjury/scifacts.html
  6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011). Machine safety. Retrieved June 26, 2012, from https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/machine-safety/about
  7. Hasler, R. M., Exadaktylos, A. K., Bouamra, O., Benneker, L. M., Clancy, M., Sieber, R. et al. (2011). Epidemiology and predictors of spinal injury in adult major trauma patients: European cohort study. European Spine Journal, 20(12):2174-2180.
  8. Beers, M. H., & Kaplan, J. L. (Eds.). (2006). The Merck manual of diagnosis and therapy. 18th ed. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.
  9. PubMed Health. (2010). Spinal cord trauma. Retrieved June 26, 2012, from https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001066.htm
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