Spinal cord injury and damage to the nerves and nerve routes that extend to the pelvis typically cause permanent changes in feeling, motion and other functions below the injury.

Medical advances are moving in the direction of spinal cord injury repair. For now, treatments and rehabilitation can allow many people with spinal cord injuries to live productively and independently.

In the days or weeks following a spinal cord injury, swelling decreases, and some patients regain some movement and feeling. Many recent advances in spinal cord injury treatment have revolved around reducing swelling at the time of the injury. It is rare for anyone with a spinal cord injury to recover all function.

The combined team of orthopedic spine and neuroscience specialists at Norton Leatherman spine and therapists at Norton Neurosciences & Spine Rehabilitation Center provides comprehensive care.

Spinal Cord Injury Research

The Norton Leatherman Spine team is respected around the world for expertise in caring for acute cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine fractures and spinal cord damage caused by auto accidents, sports, falls and other trauma.

Our surgical staff includes members of the University of Louisville School of Medicine Department of Orthopedic Surgery, where they have served for over three decades as the primary orthopedic spine trauma surgeons. As part of a Level I trauma team, we have the expertise to treat all types of acute and chronic spine trauma with the most modern techniques.

Research is a cornerstone of modern spinal trauma treatment techniques. Because our specialists conduct spine trauma research and present their findings in gatherings of experts and peer-reviewed medical journals, patients benefit from the latest advancements and discoveries.

Our specialists are committed to advancing medical science to provide superior outcomes for trauma patients and to restore maximum function following severe traumatic spinal injuries.

Depending on the severity and type of injury, our specialists will arrange for transfer to our centers to discuss options ranging from rehabilitation to bracing to restorative spinal surgery.

Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation

Norton Neurosciences & Spine Rehabilitation Center specializes in helping you maintain and strengthen existing muscle function, regain fine motor skills and learn new ways to accomplish day-to-day tasks.

Rehabilitation team members may include a physical therapist, occupational therapist, rehabilitation nurse, rehabilitation psychologist, social worker, dietitian and a physical medicine physician (physiatrist).

Our rehab specialists will help you understand how to prevent complications from your spinal cord injury and help you increase your quality of life and independence. You may learn new ways to live on your own using new skills or equipment.

An International Reputation for Excellence

The Norton Leatherman Spine surgeons are leaders in treatment of spinal injuries. We use the most up-to-date surgical techniques and technology to restore and repair the spine while preserving existing neurological function. We also have been a leader in the development of computer-assisted surgery, offering:

• Greater precision around critical structures of the spine when treating spinal cord injuries
• Robotics and neuromonitoring techniques for the spinal cord and nerves during surgery

We also have highly specialized team members, including general surgeons who specialize in polytrauma patients, nurse practitioners, operating room nurses, surgical technologists and floor nurses who are experienced in caring for spinal cord trauma patients.

Whether treated at Norton Leatherman Spine, Norton Children’s Hospital, Norton Hospital or the UofL Hospital Trauma Center by our experienced trauma staff, our patients have the benefit of a physicians team that has treated thousands of adults and children from around the region with highly specialized care.

We have the commitment and experience to give you a pinpoint diagnosis and treat your spinal cord injury with some of the most advanced techniques so you can get back to living your life.

About Norton Leatherman Spine

Norton Leatherman Spine is a combined team of orthopedic spine surgeons, neurosurgeons from Norton Neuroscience Institute and pain management specialists who provide care for adults and children from Louisville and Southern Indiana, as well as from across the region, nation and world.

• The multidisciplinary team incorporates expertise from a variety of specialties to offer a comprehensive array of treatment options that include minimally invasive and nonsurgical therapies.
• Our team approach to the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of spine conditions works cooperatively with primary care physicians and other specialists to develop a treatment plan as unique as each individual.
• Because you may not need surgery, you may work with our pain management team, physical therapy specialists and others who can create a care plan with the right types of treatments for you.
• If you need surgery, you’re in experienced hands. Norton Leatherman Spine physicians perform more than 4,000 surgeries a year.
• Our team has more than 45 specialists at nearly 20 offices across Louisville and Southern Indiana. Many offer same-day appointments and Saturday hours, with no referral needed
• Our specialists are internationally recognized leaders in clinical research of spinal disease, injury and deformity, and have served in senior positions in the Scoliosis Research Society, the most prestigious organization for scoliosis surgeons around the world.
• Norton Healthcare is the first health system in the nation to be recognized as an Advanced Orthopedic & Spine Center of Excellence by DNV.
• We offer minimally invasive and robotic-assisted procedures that carry less risk and can speed your recovery.
• We use the EOS Imaging system, which collects high-resolution images while exposing the patient to 50% to 85% less radiation than traditional X-rays and 95% less than basic CT scans. The system is especially beneficial to scoliosis patients who often need repeated imaging to monitor their progress.
• Use MyNortonChart to communicate with your provider, manage appointments, refill prescriptions and more, anytime from a mobile device or computer