Clinical Definition

Quadriplegia is paralysis of both arms and legs, which occurs when motor and/or sensory function in the cervical spinal segments is impaired or lost due to spinal cord damage. The result is paralysis of the upper limbs, lower limbs, trunk and pelvic organs, which may occur after a high spinal cord accident or a stroke.

In Our Own Words

Quadriplegia is paralysis of all four limbs. Often caused by a severe cervical (neck) injury, it occurs when spinal cord axons are damaged, causing varying levels of paralysis, depending on the extent and region of the injury. This paralysis of the limbs in quadriplegia is just one of many aspects of spinal cord injury, which may produce other conditions that need to be managed, such as bowel and bladder dysfunction.