Leading-edge spinal cord injury rehabilitation

Toronto Rehab’s spinal cord program is informed by a robust, world-class research program overseen by renowned rehabilitation engineer Dr. Geoff Fernie, the hospital’s Vice President, Research.
A research engineering lab led by Dr. Milos Popovic, Toronto Rehab Chair in Spinal Cord Injury Research, is located in the hospital. The rapid translation of research advances to the clinical setting benefits patients by providing access to the most cutting-edge therapies, methods and equipment.

Toronto Rehab researchers, for example, are world leaders in the field of functional electrical stimulation (FES) therapy. They are currently investigating the benefits of the FES therapy as means to improve and restore voluntary walking and grasping functions in a clinical setting.
Toronto Rehab’s research team was the first in Canada to develop and implement a brain machine interface that uses implantable electrodes in a human brain.
Toronto Rehab is also one of the first SCI rehabilitation hospitals in Canada to use the GAIT RITE walking system as a standard assessment for walking competency. GAIT RITE provides an objective measurement of improvement and enables the creation of more individualized treatment.
Toronto Rehab uses body weight treadmill training as a standard therapy to improve waling function in acute patient population.

Accomplished spinal cord rehabilitation researchers work closely with the clinical team and are accessible for discussion with patients, families and third-party funders. Researchers include:
Dr. Kathryn Boschen, Senior Scientist, who conducts groundbreaking psychosocial research to see how well individuals with spinal cord injury reintegrate into the community after discharge with a view to improving quality of life.
Dr. Catharine Craven, Clinician Scientist, who is well respected for her work studying the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis after spinal cord injury. She is currently investigating how exercise affects the health of individuals with spinal cord injury.
Dr. Milos Popovic, Senior Scientist, Activity Team Leader and holder of the Toronto Rehab Research Chair in Spinal Cord Injury Research, who is doing pioneering work studying new applications for functional electrical stimulation (FES), which helps paralyzed muscles to function again. He is also developing brain machine interfaces and neuroprosthetic systems.
In addition to constantly implementing best practices in spinal cord injury rehabilitation, Toronto Rehab is consistently recruited to lead the development of best practice.
Toronto Rehab routinely provides continuing professional development events for its health care professionals in order to ensure that members of the health care team remain at the forefront of rehabilitation practice. The hospital also hosts a bi-annual national conference that brings together spinal cord injury experts from multiple professions to exchange ideas in patient care, education and research. (Learn more about Toronto Rehab’s Professional Education Events

Recommend Toronto Rehab to your spinal cord injured patients so they can benefit from the remarkable outcomes that are made possible by our comprehensive, specialized, leading-edge and individualized service. Even if your patients have already completed their initial rehabilitation elsewhere, Toronto Rehab may have more to offer them.

Make a referral.