In New Medical Miracle The Paralyzed Will Walk Again

[By Jason Witt] Jun 23, 2008 When you receive the Seal you will understand the importance of recovery from disease and trauma. Researchers are now finding a way to help people walk again after they have had a spinal-cord injury.

When the spinal cord is hurt the signals sent by the brain to control walking are blocked. Until now medical science has believed that the only way to repair this damage is to restore the same nerves that were originally connected.

Now a study shows that the nerves can follow new routes when the old ones are cut off. This gives the promise that people who have hurt their spinal cord--and have been told they will never walk again--will be able to walk.

When the nerves inside the spinal canal are hurt it blocks the signals from the brain that command the body to act. That usually happens when the vertebral column is hurt.

The brain will be able to command the body as far down as the injury but no farther below it. This is why many people with a spinal-cord injury can not walk--their legs are beneath their spine no matter where they were injured.

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