ABSTRACT
Trauma to the spinal cord and column is a devastating injury that often results in an abrupt change in the quality of the patient’s life and for the immediate family. Each year in the United States there are more than 1 million acute injuries to the spine, with approximately 50,000 of these resulting in fractures to the bony spinal column, many of which involve the thoracolumbar region (8). Although there are between 7,000 and 10,000 new cases of spinal cord injury each year, the majority of spinal injuries are minor and without long-term consequence (19). The majority of spinal injuries involve only the paraspinal soft tissue structures and are successfully managed conservatively and do not require surgical stabilization or prolonged orthotic immobilization.
