New Treatment Helps Spinal Cord Injury Victims Improve Walking Ability

A study, which shows that a new treatment can improve spinal cord injury victims’ walking ability by more than 250 percent, is giving hope to these victims and their families. The results of this new research, performed by scientists at Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology and Shepherd Center in Atlanta, the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago and the University of Wisconsin, Madison, were published online on Nov. 27 in the journal Neurology.

Significant Improvements
The study group consisted of 19 spinal cord injury victims, with injuries located between levels C2 and T12, which is the area from the neck to the lower chest. The treatment involved short periods of breathing decreased oxygen levels, which resulted in a biological condition called hypoxia. The sessions consisted of breathing through a mask for 40 minutes a day for five days. The participants underwent 90-second periods of low oxygen levels followed by 60 seconds of normal oxygen levels. Then two weeks later, they received the hypoxia treatment.
Researchers found that the participants who received just the hypoxia treatment increased their endurance on a test of how far they could walk in six minutes by an average of 100 meters. This marked more than a 250 percent increase compared to another group that did not receive the hypoxia treatment.
Living with Spinal Cord Injuries
According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, in 2013, more than 300,000 people in the United States, are living with spinal cord injuries. The most common causes of spinal cord injuries are car accidents (36.5 percent), falls (28.5 percent) and acts of violence (14.3 percent). The average healthcare and living expenses and the estimated lifetime costs that are directly attributable to spinal cord injuries vary greatly according to severity of injury. Costs of long-term care and treatment could add up to millions over the lifetime of the victim.
Compensation for Victims
If you or a loved one has been injured or if you have lost a loved one as a result of someone else’s negligence, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options. Our law firm recovered $5,600,000 out of a $6 million auto insurance policy for a man on a bicycle that was hit by a van. Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury cases in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
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1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
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Source: Examiner.com