>> Tavros suffered a serious injury to his spine that left his legs immobilized.
I do not have any type of paralysis nor do I use mobility aids. Everything you'll read was taken from professional sources or people with firsthand experience. Please take into account the links and images.
• After a back fall, the lumbar (lower back) and the thoracolumbar junction (the transition between the thoracic and lumbar spine) are most likely to be damaged.
• Spinal Cord Injury (SCI): Damage to the spinal cord itself can result in complete or partial loss of movement and sensation below the injury level.
-> Paraplegia: Loss of movement and sensation in the legs and lower body, caused by injuries to the thoracic, lumbar, or sacral spine.
• Types of paraplegia are categorized by completeness (complete vs. incomplete), the cause (traumatic vs. non-traumatic), muscle function (spastic vs. flaccid), and genetic inheritance (hereditary).
-> Complete paraplegia involves a total loss of function, while incomplete means some function remains. Traumatic paraplegia occurs after a sudden, severe injury, such as a fall or car accident, non-traumatic paraplegia develops from a condition like a tumor, a birth defect (e.g., spina bifida), or a disease affecting the spinal cord. Spastic paraplegia is characterized by muscle stiffness and uncontrolled contractions, whereas flaccid paraplegia results in loose, non-working muscles. Hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) is a genetic disorder causing progressive leg weakness and spasticity.
• Spinal surgery does not cure paraplegia; there is no definitive cure for complete spinal cord injuries that result in paraplegia. However, surgery can be beneficial in certain cases by stabilizing the spine, decompressing the spinal cord to prevent further damage, and improving the patient's quality of life. For individuals with incomplete injuries, surgery or other interventions may lead to some functional recovery.
• Prognosis and Management
-> Long-Term Rehabilitation: Recovery is a long, exhausting, and expensive process requiring a multidisciplinary approach. It focuses on maintaining health, adapting to a new lifestyle, and maximizing independence through physical therapy, occupational therapy, psychotherapy, and supportive care. Key goals include preserving range of motion, strengthening existing muscles, preventing secondary complications like bedsores and urinary tract infections, adapting daily activities, managing emotional challenges like depression and anxiety, and improving overall quality of life through personalized goals and community reintegration.
-> Complications: Risks include neurogenic bladder, urinary tract infections, pressure ulcers, and respiratory or cardiovascular problems.
-> Focus on Function: Management focuses on improving independence through rehabilitation, managing complications, and adapting to the disability.
-> A person with paraplegia can use various mobility aids, including manual and power wheelchairs for primary mobility, and, in some cases of incomplete injuries, crutches, walkers, or leg braces (orthoses) may be used with physical therapy to regain some walking ability. Other assistive devices include handbikes for exercise, adapted vehicles for longer distances, and home modifications like ramps and grab bars to improve accessibility and independence.
• (Very Important) Manual Wheelcharis
Wheelchairs designed to be used as the primary form of transportation. Comfortable, durable, and adaptable. They allow the ability to move without assistance. The three examples shown were designed especially for children/teenagers.
Medical wheelchairs. They are neither comfortable nor adaptable. They are primarily meant to be pushed, not used independently.
-> Art Example: Please take a look at these guides and art. Very good!
[How to Draw Manual Wheelchairs Properly by Calvin Arium on Tumblr]
[A Guide to Designing Wheelchair Using Characters by cowsabungus on Tumblr]
[Tavros Gets A New Wheelchair by tastymonsters on DeviantArt]
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The way people handle Humanstuck!Tavros's disability (and even canon Tavros) made me want to do my own research. As far as I know, it has not been confirmed that Tavros has paraplegia; that is a conclusion I came to through my research. Please do not use this post as a legitimate guide to understanding paraplegia or any other type of paralysis, take in mind the actual links in the post.
If you are a professional and/or have first-hand experience and want to add to this post, please do so.
If the information in this post is incorrect in any way, please correct me.
