The ASIA (American Spinal Injury Association) assessment protocol consists of two sensory examinations, a motor examination and a classification framework (the impairment scale) to quantify the severity of the spinal cord injury.
The following definitions are used in grading the degree of impairment:
grade
definition
A
Complete. No sensory or motor function is preserved in the sacral segments S4-S5
B
Incomplete. Sensory but not motor function is preserved below the neurological level and includes the sacral segments S4-S5
C
Incomplete. Motor function is preserved below the neurological level, and more then half of key muscles below the neurological level have a muscle grade less then 3 (Grades 0-2).
D
Incomplete. Motor function is preserved below the neurological level, and at least half of key muscles below the neurological level have a muscle grade greater than or equal to 3.
