Tethered Spinal Cord Syndrome

What is tethered spinal cord syndrome?

Tethered spinal cord syndrome (TSCS) is a condition in which a person’s spinal cord becomes stuck or “tethered” to surrounding tissue. Normally, the spinal cord can move freely, but when it’s attached to surrounding tissue, it can become stretched and damaged as a person grows.

TSCS can happen at birth or later in life. It can also happen after spinal cord injuries or tumors. Many people with spina bifida also have TSCS. 

Surgery is the main treatment for TSCS. Without treatment, TSCS symptoms can get worse over time. 

Symptoms of TSCS

TSCS is often diagnosed in children. Symptoms in children can include:

Some people don’t know that they have TSCS until they become teenagers or adults. In children, this can be because their spine becomes longer as they grow. In adults, this can happen after an injury or other stress to the spine—such as a tumor surgery or scar tissue. 

Symptoms in adults can include:

• Pain
• Trouble moving or feeling parts of the body
• Trouble controlling when to go to the bathroom

TSCS symptoms can get worse with physical activity, pregnancy, or changes in the spine that happen as a person gets older.

How is tethered spinal cord syndrome diagnosed and treated?

Diagnosing TSCS

Doctors usually diagnose TSCS with imaging scans. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can show where the spinal cord is tethered and also find any changes or tumors that may be causing symptoms. 

Learn more about neurological diagnostic tests and procedures.

Treating TSCS

Spine surgery to free the spinal cord is the main treatment for TSCS. This surgery can help prevent symptoms from getting worse and may also help a person move better, become stronger, control their bladder, and have less pain.

Some children may need multiple surgeries for TSCS. Sometimes the spinal cord can’t be freed directly. In these cases, a doctor can shorten the spine to reduce stretching of the spinal cord.  

What are the latest updates on tethered spinal cord syndrome?

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), which includes NINDS, is the leading federal funder of research on the brain and nervous system, including disorders such as TSCS. NIH supports new research to better understand, diagnose, and treat TSCS. 

For more information on research about TSCS, check NIH RePORTER, a searchable database of current and past research projects funded by NIH and other federal agencies. RePORTER also has links to publications and resources from these projects. 

For research articles and summaries on TSCS, search PubMed, which contains citations from medical journals and other sites.

How can I or my loved one help improve care for people with tethered spinal cord syndrome?

Consider participating in a clinical trial so clinicians and scientists can learn more about TSCS and related disorders. Clinical research with human study participants helps researchers learn more about a disorder and perhaps find better ways to safely detect, treat, or prevent disease.

All types of volunteers are needed—those who are healthy or may have an illness or disease—of all different ages, sexes, races, and ethnicities. This helps make sure that study results apply to as many people as possible and that treatments will be safe and effective for everyone who will use them.

For information about participating in clinical research visit the NINDS Clinical Trials site and NIH Clinical Research Trials and You. Learn about clinical trials currently looking for people with TSCS at ClinicalTrials.gov, a searchable database of current and past clinical studies and research results.

Learn about related topics

• Chiari Malformations
• Spina Bifida
• Syringomyelia