UAB Spinal Cord Injury Model System

Recently, six of our SCIMS research faculty attended the annual American Spinal Injury Association - ASIA Conference. They shared findings from their recent work and gained valuable insights from other researchers. Check out what they’ve been working on.

👩🏽‍🦼‍➡️ Surveying manual and power wheelchair users on the importance of transfer independence after SCI
🛏️ Comparing a skin protection mattress to a standard hospital mattress and how they reduce pressure on the buttocks when lying flat or at an angle.
📉Analyzing the changing demographics and characteristics of spinal cord injuries
📊 Evaluating a feedback dashboard for neurorehabilitation nurses

ID 1: Collage of photos of UAB and other researchers and clinicians at the American Spinal Injury Association annual conference.
ID 2: Summaries of the research projects UAB faculty presented on including comparison of hospital mattresses for optimal pressure relief, changing demographics and characteristics of spinal cord injuries, evaluation of a feedback dashboard for neurorehabilitation nurses, and perspectives on the importance of transfer independence after SCI.
ID 3: Collage of pictures of UAB research faculty at the conference along with quotes of things they learned. Dr. Chen said, "More research and real-world data are now available on aging with a disability, offering practical guidance for people living with SCI." Dr. Coker said, "SCI research is addressing the entire person, connecting mental and physical health and examining the entire span of life and care." And Dr. Cowan said, “It's exciting to see researchers focusing on new ways to measure improvement in motor function."

Did you know the average age at injury for traumatic spinal cord injury has increased by 15 years since the 1970s? And while vehicle crashes remain the leading cause (37.1%), falls are on the rise, now accounting for 32.5% of injuries.

Explore our newly released data, infographics, and insights at https://sites.uab.edu/nscisc/

Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems

ID 1: Bar graph showing that the average age at injury has increased from 29 years in the 1970s to 44.3 years since 2015.
ID 2: Bar graph showing causes of spinal cord injury since 2015. Vehicular crashes are the leading cause at 37.1%, followed by falls at 32.5% and violence at 15.2%. Sports account for 7.6%, while medical and other causes make up 3.8% and 3.9%, respectively.
ID 3: Bar graph showing the breakdown of type of spinal cord injuries since 2015: 47.7% incomplete tetraplegia, 20.4% incomplete paraplegia, 19.6% complete paraplegia, 11.8% complete tetraplegia, and 0.4% with full recovery.

Sometimes the best starting point for an exercise routine is right at home. New Mobility asked wheelchair users about their favorite at-home fitness equipment and resources, and here's what they suggested. Want to add something to the list? Drop it in the comments!

We asked our social media audience to share your favorite home workout products and they delivered recommendations on the most accessible strength and cardio equipment, along with online fitness services made by and for wheelchair users. Whatever your budget and level of function, we’ve got something for you.

https://newmobility.com/wheelchair-users-favorite-home-workout-products/

We asked, and 165 wheelchair users answered!

Click below to view the results of the collaborative study, led by University of Pittsburgh Model Center on Spinal Cord Injury, examining the knowledge, capacity, and frequency people with SCI perform wheelchair maintenance. Then, check out these resources to improve your wheelchair skills and maintenance routine.

📖 Read fact sheets and guides on how to maintain your manual or power wheelchair. https://msktc.org/sci/factsheets/maintenance-guide-users-manual-and-power-wheelchairs

📺 Watch a video on how to clean your manual wheelchair. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMRw-2l9c4A

💻 Take this free online training program to improve your manual wheelchair skills.
https://pitt.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0cVklB2FgDwpC0C

Kessler Foundation, Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, Center for Rehabilitation Outcomes Research, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

🔧 New publication alert from our research group!

We are excited to share our lates work, in collaboration with UAB Spinal Cord Injury Model System, Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation and Center for Rehabilitation Outcomes Research, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab:

📄 "Knowledge, Capacity, and Frequency of Performance of Wheelchair Maintenance Among Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury"

Wheelchair maintenance is essential for safety, independence, and quality of life, but are wheelchair users being given the tools and training they need to do it confidently?

You can access the full article for free here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2026.02.004

Here's a summary of the findings:

We surveyed 165 manual and power wheelchair users with SCI and found:

✅ Wide variability in maintenance knowledge and confidence, pointing to inconsistent training, not individual shortcomings
🔩 Manual chair users felt least prepared for tasks like checking spokes, welds, and wheel alignment
⚡ Power chair users felt least equipped to check tire pressure, casters, and clean power seat functions
📅 Those earlier in their wheelchair journey had less knowledge and confidence — highlighting the need for training at the time of initial wheelchair provision
♀️ Women reported lower confidence and performance than men, suggesting current approaches aren't reaching everyone equally

The bottom line: these gaps are a call to action for clinicians, educators, and the rehabilitation community. Earlier, more inclusive training needs to be built into the wheelchair provision process.

🔓 Open access — read the full article here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2026.02.004

Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems