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Patient doing walking rehab with health care working standing next to them

People who have a spinal cord injury often have a hard time moving around freely, practicing self-care and doing other normal activities.

The Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Program at University of Maryland Rehabilitation & Orthopaedic Institute helps people with a spinal injury achieve their highest level of independence.

Our program has inpatient and outpatient services that include:

  • Medical management
  • Electromyogram (EMT)
  • Pain management
  • Wound care management
  • Brace and orthotic evaluation
  • Wheelchair, seating, positioning and mobility training
  • Evaluations for use of assistive devices
  • Adaptive recreation programs and aquatics
  • Outpatient follow-up care
  • Monthly support group and peer support
  • Upper Extremity Clinic
  • Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) care
  • Swallowing assessment and treatment
  • Cognitive/communication assessment and treatment
  • Spasticity and tone management

Program Outcomes

Goal-Oriented Treatment Approach

University of Maryland Rehabilitation and Orthopaedic Institute's Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Program provides clinical evaluations, medical care and therapeutic activities tailored to your individual goals, needs and abilities. Our comprehensive rehabilitation services are designed to address the following:

  • Return to home and daily skill recovery
  • Self-care skills
  • Training and use of standard and/or power wheelchairs
  • Bowel and bladder management
  • Pre-vocational skills

Patients receive physical, occupational, speech/language and recreational therapy six days a week. The Spinal Cord Injury Program places a strong emphasis on patient/caregiver education, offering a comprehensive program that addresses topics such as:

  • Coping with spinal cord injury
  • Sexuality
  • Attendant/caregiver issues
  • Skin/Nutrition
  • Parenting and child care issues
  • Travel issues related to mobility and home accessibility
  • Bowel and bladder management
  • Health and wellness

Patients admitted to the inpatient portion of the Spinal Cord Injury Program must be able to actively participate in three or more hours of daily therapy. The length of stay for spinal cord injury patients is between two to eight weeks depending on your individual needs. Over 80 percent of our patients return home after discharge.

Related Content

  • Lokomat: University of Maryland Rehabilitation & Orthopaedic Institute is one of only two facilities in Maryland with a robotic treadmill specially designed to help patients with spinal cord injuries, as well as stroke patients, walk again.
  • Spinal Cord Injury Resources: This program helps people improve their motor skills, balance and coordination.

University of Maryland Rehabilitation & Orthopaedic Institute is one of only two facilities in Maryland accredited by The Joint Commission and the Commission on the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).

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