As with injuries to the cervical spine, thoracic spinal cord injuries are also serious and can lead to various complications. If you suffer an injury to the thoracic spinal cord, one or more of the T1 through T12 vertebrae were affected. A person who sustains a thoracic spinal cord injury in an accident may suffer symptoms not only in the middle-back but also in the upper chest region and the abdominal muscles. In addition, the accident victim may have difficulty controlling their rib cage, diaphragm, lungs, and breathing muscles following an injury to the thoracic spinal column.
Individuals who suffer a thoracic spinal cord injury may end up becoming paraplegics who cannot move or control their abdominal muscles, lower back muscles, or legs. Despite these deficiencies, however, the accident victim may retain the ability to control their arms and hands following a thoracic spinal injury.
