paraplegia Hear it!

paraplegia Definition

para·plegia (par′ə plējē ə, -jə)

noun

motor and sensory paralysis of the entire lower half of the body

Etymology: ModL < Gr paraplēgia, a stroke at one side: see para- & -plegia

paraplegia Related Forms
par′a·plegic (-plējik, -plejik) adjective, noun
paraplegia Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • cause: Lower lesions, causing paraplegia, are less likely to affect breathing.

Adjective modifier

  • spastic: Baldwin, 53, suffers from spastic paraplegia, uses crutches, and says using cannabis helped to combat debilitating leg spasms.
  • hereditary: Degenerative diseases of the human motor system studied at Sheffield include motor neuron disease ( MND ) and hereditary spastic paraplegia.
  • traumatic: The two authors ' accounts of traumatic paraplegia are both quite detailed, although emphasizing different aspects of the condition.
  • incomplete: We are using FES assisted cycling to study possible mechanisms of motor and sensory recovery in incomplete paraplegia.