Psychological and sociological theories concerning adjustment to traumatic spinal cord injury: the implications for rehabilitation.

During the past decades many healthcare professionals have turned their attention to describing the process of adjustment to traumatic spinal cord injury. Extensive review of the literature concerning adjustment is examined, together with an analysis of the effect which these theories have upon the healthcare provider who interacts with the client. Traditional rehabilitation has had the objective of teaching physical skills to such patients in order to achieve the highest possible level of independence. This paper challenges the rehabilitation team to broaden this concept of successful outcome. 'Living' requires more than physical survival.