So, I'm not a medical student but I thought I'd come here to get some information that I can't seem to find anywhere else. I'm a writer and currently writing a character who has an incomplete spinal injury that affects his calves (I've figured this to be about L4/L5). I wanted to know a few things so I could write this character truthfully and realistically. The character is a 19 year old male.
1) How would this affect the person's bowel/bladder function? No site has an answer on how this specific injury would affect these functions.
2) Sitting and standing. Would a person with this injury be able to do this by themselves?
3) What would happen if said person didn't receive therapy for this? Would they be able to walk if they tried on their own?
I'm sorry if some of this information is wrong or unclear, but I really do only want to give justice to this character and would appreciate any information you have on incomplete spinal cord injuries. I thought I'd come to the neurosurgery forum because you guys deal with this kind of a thing, but please let me know if I posted on the wrong forum. Thanks so much to anyone who is able to help!
1) How would this affect the person's bowel/bladder function? No site has an answer on how this specific injury would affect these functions.
2) Sitting and standing. Would a person with this injury be able to do this by themselves?
3) What would happen if said person didn't receive therapy for this? Would they be able to walk if they tried on their own?
I'm sorry if some of this information is wrong or unclear, but I really do only want to give justice to this character and would appreciate any information you have on incomplete spinal cord injuries. I thought I'd come to the neurosurgery forum because you guys deal with this kind of a thing, but please let me know if I posted on the wrong forum. Thanks so much to anyone who is able to help!
