In some cases, damage to the spinal cord can make a full recovery, but it depends on two main factors: where the injury occurred and the extent of the damage sustained. • Location — When the upper part of the spine is injured, the total injury tends to be more severe as there is a risk of losing movement and feeling in the arms, legs, and trunk; there may also be difficulties with speech. Lower spinal injuries may lose movement from the waist down, but the individual will still be able to breathe on their own and use their upper limbs, including their arms and hands. • Completeness — The completeness of a spinal injury is the extent of damage and the amount of function that is lost. A complete injury results in a total loss of feeling and motor function below the injury site; an incomplete injury means the person still has some feeling or motor function.