The tipping or falling of wheelchairs can cause an individual to sustain serious injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries, concussions, and bone fractures. The probability of wheelchair tipping can be heightened or reduced by a variety of factors and it is important that we understand these factors in order to increase wheelchair stability. Continue reading
Blog Archives: community
How bowel, bladder, sexual dysfunction can affect health
| 1 commentWhat is bowel, bladder and sexual dysfunction? Persons with a spinal cord injury (SCI) can experience changes to their bladder, bowel, and sexual function secondary to the spinal cord damage. Problems can occur due to a lack of voluntary control over urination and defecation, possibly leading to complications like urinary tract infections. Continue reading
Exercise heart rate and physical activity after SCI
| 1 commentWhy study physical activity and participation? High-level SCI can cause damage to nerves that regulate the cardiovascular system, making it hard for affected individuals to regulate their heart rate and blood pressure. As a consequence, blood pressure can be very low in people with high-level SCI, and their heart rates are often slow and fail to increase as they should during exercise. Continue reading
A phone-monitored upper limb home exercise program for post-stroke individuals
| 0 commentsPost stroke recovery– The ideal rehabilitation program: Up to 75% of stroke survivors have upper limb impairments that make everyday tasks like grasping a cup or utensil difficult. Many of these individuals become reluctant to use their affected limb in daily activities (called “learned non-use”). This can be detrimental to their long-term health, since reduced arm use has been associated with consequences such as decreased strength and bone density. Continue reading
The effects of personalizing assistive technology
| 4 commentsWhat is assistive technology? With today’s aging population, there is a significant increase in the number of older adults experiencing physical disabilities and limitations in mobility. Assistive technology (AT) can be very beneficial to these individuals in promoting participation in daily life. Continue reading
How does fatigue affect participation in the community?
| 0 commentsAllie Donaldson & Otto Tam Edited by Ana-Maria Oproescu This is a summary of a research study conducted by ICORD researchers Dr. Bita Imam, Dr. William Miller, Dr. Hugh Anton, Dr. Susan Forwell, and Dr. Andrea Townson. Click here to Read More…
Power wheelchairs in the community: wheelchair choices of older adults
| 0 commentsBryan Ng Original Article: This is a summary of a paper published by researchers in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy in the University of British Columbia, including ICORD researcher Dr. Ben Mortenson. Mortenson, W. Hammell, K. Luts, Read More…
Using social media to your advantage: a grad student’s story
| 0 commentsby Chad Atkins, ICORD Social Media Project Assistant. Chad is completing his PhD in Chemistry at UBC and has held a Work Learn position with ICORD during the 2014-15 academic year. “He’s rounding third and heading home” – that’s the Read More…
Progress in research leads to cautious optimism
| 1 commentA BBC story about a man with SCI who can walk again after receiving a new therapy has been in the news over the past couple of days. The story reports that Darek Fidyka, a 40-year-old Polish man who sustained Read More…
Vote to support bladder health grant
| 2 commentsDid you know that many people who have spinal cord disorders, including spinal cord injury and spina bifida, have urinary bladder complications? Those people use catheters to empty their bladders, yet bladder health is a seriously neglected issue. Individuals from developing Read More…