Injuries to the lumbar spine, which encompasses a lower area of the spinal column below the cervical and thoracic regions and above the sacral spine (L1-L5), are severe but not necessarily life-threatening. It is important to note that not all spinal injuries result in paralysis. Damage to this section of the spine may result in weakness or numbness in the hips and groin and can affect the lower abdominal muscles and thigh flexion. Whether an injury is incomplete or complete helps to determine the severity of the injury and its resulting symptoms. Something that sets the lumbar section of the spine apart from the thoracic or cervical spine is that the spinal cord does not extend its entire length; after L2, nerve roots exist each of the remaining lumbar levels.