{"id":3117,"date":"2026-08-13T02:08:15","date_gmt":"2026-08-13T02:08:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/34-74-180-255.nip.io\/glossary\/why-is-it-called-tetraplegia-now\/"},"modified":"2026-10-27T17:38:05","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T17:38:05","slug":"why-is-it-called-tetraplegia-now","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/chglawyers.com\/resources\/glossary\/why-is-it-called-tetraplegia-now\/","title":{"rendered":"Why is it called tetraplegia now?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Spinal Cord Injuries | Serving Florida<\/p>

Why is it called tetraplegia now?<\/h1>

You may hear the words tetraplegia and quadriplegia used in hospitals, reports and court papers. Here is what they mean, why the wording matters to families, and where to start if your loved one was hurt in Florida.<\/p>

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By CHG Lawyers \u00b7 Published October 19, 2026<\/p>\n\n

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If your loved one’s records say tetraplegia<\/em> and a report says quadriplegia<\/em>, you are not imagining it. Both words appear in hospitals, research papers, and court filings.<\/p>\n

This page explains what the sources say about the wording. It also explains what they do not say. Then it explains what the difference means for your family.<\/p>\n

The Short Answer: The Word Changed, the Injury Did Not<\/h2>\n

Tetraplegia<\/a> and quadriplegia describe the same pattern. Both mean reduced movement and feeling in the arms, hands, trunk (the main part of the body, from shoulders to hips), and legs. The pelvic organs, such as the bladder and bowel, are often affected too.<\/p>\n

The pattern usually follows an injury to the cervical spinal cord. This is the part of the spinal cord that runs through the neck.<\/p>\n

The University of Alabama at Birmingham describes tetraplegia<\/a> as the loss of voluntary movement (movement a person can control) in the upper and lower body. It notes that the term is sometimes still called quadriplegia.<\/p>\n\n

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Not sure what your next step is?<\/h3>

Talk it through with our team — the first consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation.<\/p>

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What the Sources Do and Do Not Establish<\/h2>\n

We reviewed the sources behind this page. They define and distinguish the two terms.<\/p>\n

They do not document a dated change in terminology. They also do not state a specific reason one word replaced the other. So this page gives no date and no reason for a switch.<\/p>\n

Here is what we can say. Some medical and rehabilitation writing uses “tetraplegia.” Other writing, and most everyday conversation, still uses “quadriplegia.”<\/p>\n

Your doctor’s word and a report’s word can differ. Both can still describe the same injury.<\/p>\n

The Word Roots: Latin, Greek, and a Cleaner Match<\/h2>\n

“Quadriplegia” mixes two languages. “Quadri” is Latin for four. “Plegia” is Greek for paralysis.<\/p>\n

“Tetraplegia” uses Greek for both parts. “Tetra” is Greek for four. “Plegia” is Greek for paralysis. Some writers prefer this consistent word origin.<\/p>\n

The medical meaning is the same either way.<\/p>\n

The Core Distinction: Tetraplegia Versus Paraplegia<\/h2>\n

The clearest way to tell these conditions apart is arm function. The World Health Organization separates the two by whether the arms are affected:<\/p>\n