Meet our Experts

Toronto Rehab researchers are pushing the frontiers of rehabilitation science. We’re finding practical solutions to help individuals to maintain their health and regain their independence.

We’re also sharing our best ideas and innovations to support these discoveries and ensure they are used widely to help improve the lives of people living with spinal cord injury and illness. Current spinal cord injury-related research projects include:

 

Using electrical stimulation to regain muscle use

Toronto Rehab scientists are leading the world in using a technique that stimulates nerves with electrical impulses to reawaken paralyzed muscles. The technique, known as functional electrical stimulation (FES) is helping some people with paralysis to pick up objects and even improve their walking.

Senior scientist Dr. Milos Popovic and colleagues are using the technology to “retrain” people’s nervous systems so they can function again, even without the stimulator. This research has the potential to generate savings by reducing caregiving costs for people with spinal cord injury and stroke, and increasing their level of participation and productivity.

 

Improving prevention through bone density measurement

Since people with spinal cord injuries can lose up to one-third of their bone density within a year of injury or onset of illness, Toronto Rehab scientists are also working to prevent osteoporosis. This disease puts people at increased risk of bone fractures.

Physiatrist and clinical scientist Dr. Cathy Craven has created a new system for measuring bone mineral density. It targets the knee, which newer research shows is the most common place for fractures in people with spinal cord injury. Using this system, Toronto Rehab patients are now given annual bone density tests in the knee region to identify their fracture risk. If their risk is high, people can make diet and lifestyle changes to lower it. Dr. Craven’s team has been teaching the protocol at centres across North America. Dr. Craven is also developing North America’s first standardized practice guidelines for treating osteoporosis in people with spinal cord injury.