Every spinal cord injury and its recovery process is unique, so it is impossible to give an exact time frame for recovery without factoring in the various aspects of the injury. With this being said, research shows that the most recovery occurs within the first three to six months after a spinal cord injury. Immediately after a spinal cord injury, the central nervous system goes through a period of heightened neuroplasticity, which is the central nervous system’s ability to make adaptive changes and reorganize its neural circuitry based on our behaviors, such as the way we move. It is the primary mechanism that allows individuals to recover functions affected by a spinal cord injury and is also prevalent in brain injuries to help patients relearn certain functions. However, it is important to note that not all spinal cord injuries can recover by using neuroplasticity; if neurons in the spinal cord are damaged beyond repair, they are not capable of regenerating and therefore not able to utilize neuroplasticity. As a result, recovery after a spinal cord injury heavily relies on unaffected neural pathways for adaptive changes such as neuroplasticity. The chances of recovery are greater when there are more neural pathways that remain connected through the site of injury.