A new study in mice has found that hyperglycaemia after spinal cord injury (SCI) worsens inflammation via effects on nuclear factor κB and leads to more-severe motor deficits. This effect could be prevented by restoration of normal blood glucose level with an insulin injection. The investigators also reviewed data from 528 patients with SCI, and found that acute hyperglycaemia was a significant risk factor for poor functional recovery. These results highlight the importance of glycaemic control after SCI.