In partnership with the United Spinal Association Northeast Ohio Chapter, the MetroHealth System will be hosting the Spinal Cord Injury Forum on Saturday, September 23, 2023. The conference will be held in a NEW Glick Center Conference Room at the MetroHealth Main Campus. This educational conference is projected to attract 80-90 attendees and a consortium...Continue Reading

The MSKTC works closely with researchers in the 14 Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Model System Centers to develop resources for people living with spinal cord injury and their supporters. They have several user-friendly resources that are grounded in evidence and available in a variety of formats such as printable PDF documents, videos, and slideshows.  We...Continue Reading

After Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) most people suffer from neurogenic bladder dysfunction. Effects of this condition may be diverse but can result in frequent urination, incontinence, incomplete bladder emptying, and/or catheter dependence. However long-term changes from neurogenic bladder can result in recurrent urinary tract infections, kidney stones, renal injury (kidney damage), and more.  Urodynamic studies...Continue Reading

At 25 years old, Cleveland native Autumn Nalls had to relearn how to take care of herself following a spinal cord injury (SCI) about 5 years ago.  Before her SCI, she was a  motivational speaker about sexual health and wellness for high school students.  After moving to California for a year, she came back to...Continue Reading

By James Wilson, DO Driving is an important aspect of independence in 21st century America’s society. However, for many people with functional impairments, this ability is lost.  The result is increased dependence on the caregivers and government programs, isolation or unsafe driving behaviors. To meet this need, the MetroHealth Rehabilitation Institute has a long-standing program...Continue Reading

By Dr. Christina Oleson The role of physical medicine and rehabilitation in both the acute presentation of COVID-19 and the subsequent acute hospitalization and rehabilitation is integral to the care of those with post-acute sequelae of COVID-19, now named “PASC”, or in lay terms, “long COVID”.  According to the World Health Organization, the term PASC...Continue Reading

Written by: Dan Nwosu When the unexpected happens and life as one knows it is thrown for a loop, what do we do? Who do we become? What is left of our old self? Those are some of the thoughts that have run through the minds of many that have sustained spinal cord injuries. However,...Continue Reading

Written by: Dr. Kim Anderson As part of the MetroHealth Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Model Systems program, we are participating in a multi-center collaborative study being led by the Rancho Los Amigos Rehabilitation Center in Los Angeles, California.  This study is about bowel function, which we know is very important to many people living with...Continue Reading

My spinal cord injury (SCI) happened in September 2015.  I was a passenger in a truck that went through a stop sign at a T in the road.  We hit a telephone pole going 60 mph, and the guy in the backseat was not wearing a seatbelt and flew forward into the back of me. ...Continue Reading

In our Summer 2022 Connections Newsletter, we introduced a brand new column, titled Roundtable Discussion.   In this column, we are interviewing people living with spinal cord injuries, asking about their tips, tricks, and learning experiences.  We want to elevate the conversation from resilience to relevant.  For this second article, we asked a few people, “How...Continue Reading