16 October marks World Spine Day, an annual global campaign raising awareness of spinal health, spinal pain and disability.

For those of us who work with people who have suffered spinal injuries, every day brings a reminder of just how significant an impact a spinal condition or injury can have on someone’s life.

As a senior associate in JMW's clinical negligence team my work involves supporting people who have suffered serious spinal injuries as a result of medical treatment, often at a point when their lives have changed dramatically.

World Spine Day provides an opportunity to step back from individual cases and consider the wider impact. Namely why spinal health matters, the impact that spinal conditions and injuries can have on individuals and families, and what can be done to improve treatment, rehabilitation and long-term support.

Spinal conditions affect people in many different ways

Spinal conditions affect people across all aspects of their lives and can have consequences for mobility, independence, employment, relationships and mental wellbeing.

World Spine Day highlights the global burden of spinal pain and disability. Low back pain is recognised as the leading cause of disability globally. The official campaign encourages greater awareness of spinal health and active participation in spinal health initiatives by health professionals and organisations.

For people who sustain a spinal cord injury or who have been left with long-term problems following the development of spinal conditions such as cauda equina syndrome, the consequences can be particularly profound. An injury can affect movement and sensation, bladder and bowel function, sexual function and the ability to carry out everyday activities. But the impact extends well beyond the physical consequences of the injury.

People may need to adapt their homes, find new ways of travelling and accessing their communities, reconsider their employment and manage the emotional impact of an entirely unexpected change in their circumstances.

That is why understanding the person behind the injury is so important.

Listening to lived experience

Earlier this month, myself and colleagues from JMW’s clinical negligence team attended the Spinal Injuries Association’s Rebuilding Lives conference. One of the most valuable parts of the conference was hearing directly from people with lived experience of spinal cord injury, alongside clinicians, rehabilitation professionals, charities, service providers and family members.

As lawyers, we spend a significant amount of time considering medical records, expert evidence and the legal consequences of an injury. Those things are essential, but they only tell part of the story. Listening to people talk about their experiences provides a different perspective. It helps us understand the practical challenges that can arise after discharge from hospital, the importance of rehabilitation and community support, and the barriers that can remain long after the initial treatment has finished.

Looking beyond the injury

World Spine Day is an opportunity to raise awareness of spinal health and the importance of prevention and effective treatment. It is also a reminder of the importance of seeing the whole person.

When someone suffers a spinal injury, the consequences can reach into almost every aspect of their life. The legal process may form one part of their journey, but it is only one part. Our work is ultimately about helping people navigate the consequences of what has happened to them and ensuring that their individual circumstances, needs and aspirations are properly understood.

That means continuing to listen, continuing to learn and working with the wider spinal injury community to understand what better support can look like.

This World Spine Day, we are particularly pleased to recognise the work of the many organisations, professionals and individuals who are working to improve outcomes for people affected by spinal conditions and injuries.