Spina Bifida
What is spina bifida?
Spina bifida is a condition that develops during fetal growth. During this time, as the spinal cord forms and grows, there are supposed to be other cells wrapping around the cord cells until it’s fully surrounded. This later becomes vertebrae and layers of tissue intended to protect the spinal cord. In spina bifida, the “other cells” don’t finish wrapping around the cord cells all the way, leaving the cord cells unprotected and vulnerable to malformation.
The 3 most common types of spina bifida are shown in the image below. In the 1st close up picture, of spina bifida occulta, some of the vertebrae have not formed properly. This leaves a vulnerable spot between the hair tuft and spinal cord but there’s no visible sac on the back. This is the mildest form and rarely causes issues.
Medical illustration of infant spina bifida with annotation. By rob3000 on stock.adobe.com.
The 2nd picture illustrates meningocele (men-in-joe-seal), a type of spina bifida where spinal fluid pushes through an opening in the spine and forms a sac on the baby’s back. There are no spinal nerves in the sac and issues tend to be minor, more likely to cause bowel and bladder problems than anything else.
The 3rd image depicts the most severe type of spina bifida, called myelomeningocele (my-el-oh-men-in-joe-seal). Like the meningocele, spinal fluid pushes through an opening and forms a sac. The biggest difference is that the myelomeningocele does contain spinal nerves, which leaves baby vulnerable to spinal nerve damage. This can lead to frequent infection, paralysis, bowel and bladder problems, abnormal growth and development, and difficulty controlling movement.
If you’d like a more detailed list of symptoms or info on risks and prevention, check out the Mayo Clinic link below!
How do physical therapists help?
PTs (especially pediatric specialists) can start helping right from birth! Assessing a newborn’s motor development can help the family track progress over time. PTs can also provide families and caregivers with information on safe handling, safe activity, and safe positioning. Since physical therapists get to spend more time with patients than many other primary care providers or medical doctors and since they require doctorate level education, they can monitor patients for signs and symptoms of other conditions. Personally, I think this makes PTs valuable assets to the healthcare team, since they can help people get diagnosed earlier and get them to the right specialist more quickly!
A teen with spina bifida may need to take special precautions to safely participate in active social events like the one pictured here, which PTs can help with! Photo by Edmond Dantès: https://www.pexels.com/photo/group-of-people-running-8556686/
The types of exercises that may be used when someone has spina bifida are very diverse and depend a lot on the interests and goals of the individual receiving care. Both children and adults with spina bifida can benefit from PT, learning the most effective and safe exercises for their needs. This can include swimming, playing with a beach ball, crawling on playground equipment, treadmill running, push-ups, squats, balance exercises, and much more. Education provided may include ways to protect an exposed sac, how to use a wheelchair or other device, and movement modifcations. Occupational therapists, recreational therapists, and mental health professionals also have a lot to offer when it comes to improving quality of life for someone with spina bifida.
Movement is an essential component of independence and joy! Physical therapists are there to help you gain or maintain the movement you need, from playing with friends to being able to complete job duties to walking yourself out the door to feel the warmth of the sun.
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