Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation

Our comprehensive and integrated inpatient, day treatment, and outpatient care programs offer top-quality services from the onset of spinal cord injury or disease through a successful transition to home, community, and employment. We focus on the whole person, helping patients meet the challenges they face physically, medically, and socially, allowing them to reach the highest level of health and independence possible.

At MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital (MedStar NRH), our Spinal Cord Injury/Disease Rehabilitation and Recovery (SCI/D) program is the only Spinal Cord Injury program in the region fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). This designation means the program has met rigorous guidelines for service and quality. In addition, MedStar NRH is a designated center of excellence in SCI/D care, one of 18 nationally recognized SCI Model Systems. This recognition highlights our position as a national leader in both specialty care and in medical research.

Our innovative research promotes recovery through neuromodulation to minimize the effects of secondary conditions that may occur after spinal injury and disease, such as bladder function, urinary symptoms and urinary infections. Because we integrate the latest research into our clinical care, patients have multiple opportunities to participate in advanced research trials which can enhance their physical and emotional recovery after spinal cord injury or disease.

At MedStar Health, we take an interdisciplinary approach to caring for patients with spinal cord injury or disease. Our clinical team involves a highly-skilled group of professionals who work together in close collaboration under the direction of a rehabilitation physician (physiatrist). With the patient as an integral member of their rehabilitation team, we design unique and personalized rehabilitation programs for each patient to help them return to the fulfilling life that they want to lead.

Our rehabilitation program is designed to:

• Involve the patient and their family in the development of rehabilitation goals and discharge planning

• Promote neurorecovery through advanced rehabilitation technology and modalities

• Maximize the patient’s overall strength, endurance, flexibility, and range of motion

• Educate the patient and their family in proper skin care techniques, as well as build the patient’s tolerance for sitting and lying

• Identify and customize optimal rehabilitative medical equipment that can help patients regain their highest level of function, including wheelchairs, seating and positioning devices, bathroom equipment, and assistive technology

• Help patients and their loved ones understand their injury and adjust to new skills and strategies that will help them lead fulfilling lives

• Ensure a smooth transition from inpatient therapy to outpatient services and the community 

The team works hand-in-hand with patients and families to maximize quality of life, prevent secondary conditions, and enhance their ability to participate in meaningful activities.

Program highlights

Therapies are specifically designed to help each patient to thrive as they progress towards their maximum level of independence, with a focus on abilities rather than disabilities. Our skilled therapists help patients build confidence in their abilities to care for themselves independently and mobilize to their greatest potential. 

From the beginning of care, our teams anticipate and prevent known health risks associated with spinal cord injury and disease. We teach patients how to prevent, recognize and manage many of these issues on their own with confidence so that if medical concerns arise, they are equipped to address them. 

To facilitate patients’ return to the highest level of function, wellness, and performance, we provide patients access to:

• An interdisciplinary team dedicated to caring for patients with spinal cord injuries, including physiatrists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, neuropsychologists, rehabilitation nurses, recreational therapists, counselors, social workers, dieticians, and others

• A wide array of sophisticated therapeutic equipment, including the EKSO robotic exoskeleton and the first ever ZeroG® system, which helps patients learn to walk again by creating a zero-gravity environment. Patients also benefit from a variety of approaches to electrical stimulation, adaptive sports equipment, and Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) bikes that enhance neural plasticity and recovery.

• Contemporary and easy-to-understand patient and family education in various formats to meet preferred learning styles (audio, online, print, face-to-face, etc.)

• A full range of specialized services, including a High-Intensity Gait Training program, education for wheelchair use, driver training, employment and educational counseling, and at-home and worksite evaluations

• Community outings to help patients learn how to navigate and participate in the community

• A strong emphasis on adaptive fitness, sports, and recreation to enhance function after patients transition into the community—and to promote long-term health

• An extensive research program, including clinical trials in which we are developing and testing the future of medical rehabilitation for spinal cord injury and illness

• Seamless care coordination by a case manager as the patient progresses from inpatient care to outpatient rehabilitation, MedStar Health Home Care, and/or community service