Protected inside the bony vertebrae of the spine is an inch-thick gelatinous bundle of nervous tissue called “the spinal cord”, which acts as the central communication conduit between the brain and the rest of the body. Millions of nerve fibres carry motor information from the brain to the muscles, while other fibres bring sensory information from the body to the brain. In its structure and functions, the spinal cord may be compared to a transcontinental telephone cable jam-packed with wires, each of which carries messages both ways. But what happens if that cable is cut? Signals cannot get through, communication is lost, and the cable must be repaired or replaced. In humans, though, this is not a simple process due to the sensitive nature of the spinal cord. The spinal cord is rarely severed because the vertebrae provide rigid protection. However, a traumatic blow to the spinal column and subsequent bleeding, swelling and scarring can crush the delicate nerve bundles and prevent signals from passing. The result may be a debilitating injury.