On behalf of Law Offices of Mauro Fiore, Jr. posted in Motorcycle Accidents on Friday, October 6, 2017.
California bikers know that they take their lives into their hands every time they hit the road. Motorcycles are smaller and offer less protection than other cars. This means motorcyclists often risk absorbing more of any impact with their body, which can result in a higher rate of severe injuries. What are some common spinal cord injuries you can expect if you're caught in an accident? The National Institutes of Health did a study on the pattern of spinal cord injuries in motorcycle accidents. Among these injuries, the thoracic spine was the most affected. This was followed by lumbar and cervical. However, in over 40% of the victims, multiple areas of the spine were damaged at once. Of the 126 people who were affected, 11 of them required spinal surgery and 13 people died from their injuries. As the study concludes, it's likely that if your spine is damaged, the thoracic spine will take the brunt of the blow. You'll possibly experience damage in multiple areas. This can make it easy for medical professionals to miss detecting every injury, however. In turn, undetected injuries can result in you living with pain unnecessarily. Other common impacts include nerve damage resulting in pain or numbness, and trouble with mobility. Motorcyclists facing these injuries may have issues with simple tasks like bending, turning their body, or extending their limbs. Your spine health affects the overall health of the rest of your body. This is why prompt and proper diagnosis and treatment is so crucial to victims of spinal injuries, including motorcyclists like you.