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Abstract
An active lifestyle in the aging person with spinal cord injury (SCI) increases the potential for injuries to the musculoskeletal system. We report three unusual cases of thigh hematoma with no apparent history of trauma in aging patients with long-standing SCI. These patients were all employed and had active lifestyles. They ranged in age from 43 to 60 years, with lesions from T8 to T11 and had been paraplegic for 12-30 years. They presented with thigh swelling without any obvious cause. Diagnostic work-up did not reveal etiology. However, a functional history, re-creation of their activities and seating assessment identified the most likely causes of the thigh hematomas. Treatment of thigh hematoma is discussed. Physicians treating patients with long-standing SCI should pay special attention to changes in function and lifestyle and their potential effects on the musculoskeletal system. (J Spinal Cord Med 1997; 20:70-73)