Injuries involving the spine are very common and these can lead to a wide variety of symptoms, from mild pain to paralysis and even death. The spine can be viewed as the wiring harness of the body. It carries and protects the spinal cord and enables the brain to communicate with and control the whole body. Serious damage to the vertebrae can lead to impingement of the spinal cord, pain or loss of any feeling (e.g. in the hands, arms, chest) and in the worst case total loss of control in certain parts of the body.

Like a wiring harness in a car, the spinal cord branches out into adjacent parts of the body as one moves down from the neck to the end of the spine (coccyx). This means that the location of a spinal injury (i.e. which vertebrae are damaged) can be determined by identifying which part of the body is exhibiting injury symptoms. » Read more: Rehabilitation Exercises for Spine Related Neck Injuries and Back Injuries