Tag: Quadriplegia

According to studies, a significant percentage of individuals with spinal cord injuries face lifelong gastrointestinal dysfunction. While the act of digesting food occurs, quadriplegics face significant challenges due to interrupted nervous system signals, which require careful management to ensure digestive health. This guide explores the process and the strategies involved.

Individuals with quadriplegia often require a significantly lower caloric intake than able-bodied people, with some needing less than 60-75% of a typical person's calories. This is primarily due to reduced metabolic activity from paralyzed muscles, which makes proper calculation and management of caloric intake crucial for preventing weight gain and secondary health complications.

Due to reduced muscle mass and lower physical activity, individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCI) can experience a 14% to 27% decrease in their resting metabolic rate compared to non-disabled individuals. This major physiological change directly impacts the critical question of **how many calories does a paralyzed person need?**