Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) are usually divided into two categories:

• Incomplete injury. Involves injuries that do not completely prohibit the spinal cord from conveying messages between the brain and the rest of the body. People with these injuries retain some motor or sensory function below the level of the injury. They may be able to move one side of the body more fully than the other side. This type of SCI includes syndromes such as:
  
  
• • Central cord syndrome. Usually affects motor control and sensory function of the hands and upper extremities, compared to the lower extremities.
    
    
  • Brown-Sequard syndrome. An injury may result in loss of sensation on one side of the body but weakness or paralysis on the other side.
    
    
  • Anterior cord syndrome. Involves loss of movement, but retaining sense of the body’s position.
    
    
• Complete injury. Involves a total lack of sensory or motor function below the level of the injury. In most cases, both sides of the body are equally affected. Patients may have paralysis in just the lower part of the body (paraplegia) or in all four limbs (quadriplegia). Despite its name, a complete spinal injury rarely involves a complete cutting of the spinal cord.