Spinal cord injuries are no longer just for young people since medical care is getting better and people are living longer. Big research in Europe has found that age doesn't seem to affect how effectively nerves repair after these kinds of injuries, but it does have a big effect on how well people can live on their own again. 

The American Academy of Neurology's journal Neurology released the study on December 23, 2025. It looked at how age affects rehabilitation after a spinal cord injury. The study tracked 2,171 individuals admitted to specialised spinal units across Europe for a year following their injury. The average age of the people who took part was 47. 

"More people are getting spinal cord injuries, and the average age at which they do so is getting older," said Chiara Pavese, MD, PhD, the study's principal author from the University of Pavia in Italy. Despite significant advancements in surgery and care, she noted that the overall recovery rates have not significantly changed. 

The study makes it obvious that there are two kinds of recovery. Neurological healing is how well nerves send messages, which can be measured by muscular strength and the ability to feel touch or pain. Functional recovery, on the other hand, is being able to do things like feed yourself, bathe, control your bladder and bowel movements, move around, and walk. 

Researchers discovered that age did not influence neurological recovery. Patients of all ages exhibited the same amount of increase in muscular strength and feeling. But age had a big effect on how well people recovered functionally. 

When patients first entered spinal care units, participants averaged 31 points on a typical test of daily independence that went from 0 to 100. After a year, the average went up slightly to 35. Most importantly, each extra decade of age was connected to a 4.3-point decline in recovery. Older individuals also had a harder time getting better at walking, such as walking faster and needing supports like canes. 

People over 70 had the biggest drop. Pavese said, "People over 70 need specific rehabilitation approaches that take into account other conditions they may have, like diabetes, osteoporosis, or heart disease." He also emphasised the importance of closely aligning recovery goals with real-life needs. 

Even when taking into consideration how severe the spinal injuries were, these results stayed the same. The researchers warn that some participants were lost to follow-up after one year, which could have affected the results. 

Public research organisations in Europe and Switzerland supported the study, revealing an increasing number of problems facing ageing societies. Damaged nerves may repair uniformly across all age groups; nevertheless, facilitating the restoration of independence in older individuals necessitates rehabilitation specifically tailored to their age.