Spinal Cord Injury Resources

• The National Library of Medicine's MedlinePlus offers basic information on SCI and links to other resources.
• The National Spinal Cord Injury Association provides detailed information about SCI in its Introduction to SCI .
• Learn about research on SCI, rehabilitation, the history of SCI treatment, and more from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: SCI.
• American Spinal Injury Association
  The American Spinal Injury Association promotes the care of patients with SCIs and supports interaction among health care professionals and researchers studying and treating SCIs.
• Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation
  Dedicated to curing SCI, the Foundation funds innovative research and provides grants, information, and advocacy to improve quality of life for people living with paralysis.
• Defense Medical Research and Development Program
  This Pentagon program performs research and development in the areas of blast injury, rehabilitation, and psychological health and wellness.
• Department of Defense SCI Research Program
  This program focuses on finding and funding research on SCI.
• National Rehabilitation Information Center
  A data repository of the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, this center provides an online gateway to information on disability and rehabilitation.
• United Spinal Association
  The mission of the United Spinal Association is to improve the quality of life of all people living with SCI or related disorders, including information about emotional and physical adjustment after SCI, reproductive health, and gait training.
• Paralyzed Veterans of America
  This nonprofit organization is dedicated to serving veterans of the U.S. armed services, supporting medical research, and guaranteeing civil rights for all people with disabilities.
• Quality Enhancement Research Initiative
  A project of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Quality Enhancement Research Initiative concentrates on promoting improvement in SCI areas of respiratory health, pressure ulcers, obesity, pain, depression, and physical function and mobility.
• Shriners Hospitals for Children
  The Shriners Hospitals for Children system provides care and treatment for SCI at its many locations around the United States. In addition, certain locations specialize in care and treatment of pediatric SCI, including Shriners Hospital for Children — Philadelphia and Shriners Hospital for Children — Chicago .
• Spinal Cord Outcomes Partnership Endeavor (SCOPE)
  SCOPE seeks to enhance the development of clinical trial and clinical practice protocols for accurately validating therapeutic interventions for SCIs.
• The U.S. Department of Education offers these resources on SCI:
  • National Clearinghouse of Rehabilitation Training Materials shares information about SCI research, breakthroughs, and issues.
  • The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research is one of three entities within the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. The Institute supports an SCI Model Systems Program as well as model systems for brain injury and burns.

Please note: Links to organizations and information included on this page do not indicate endorsement from NICHD, NIH, or HHS.

• The NICHD's National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research (NCMRR)
  NCMRR supports research on many aspects of SCI, including mechanisms of injury and the effectiveness of different interventions and rehabilitation methods. The Center offers several publications and webpages that provide additional information about its research:
  • NCMRR 20th Anniversary Symposium Proceedings (PDF 8.88 MB)
  • NCMRR Report to the NACHHD Council (2006) (PDF 1.56 MB)
  • NCMRR Research Plan (1993) (PDF 229 KB)
  • Medical Rehabilitation Research Resource Network
• American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
  This national medical society represents more than 8,000 physicians who specialize in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation.
• Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP)
  The AAP is an organization of faculty, researchers, and others interested in supporting academic physiatry. It is involved in a number of projects to support and enhance the academic discipline of physical medicine and rehabilitation.
• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) Facilities of Research Excellence on SCI
  NINDS performs and promotes research on SCI through this and other activities.
• Spinal Cord Outcomes Partnership Endeavor (SCOPE)
  SCOPE facilitates interaction and collaboration amongst clinicians, researchers, academic institutions, and other organizations interested in researching and treating SCIs and addressing patient/family issues.
• Paralyzed Veterans of America
  This nonprofit organization supports research on SCIs and spinal cord diseases (SCDs) and funds multiple education and collaborative efforts with goals to understand, treat, and cure SCIs/SCDs.
• American Spinal Injury Association
  The Association promotes the care of patients with SCIs, promotes the education of health care professionals and others interested in SCIs, supports research on SCIs, and facilitates communication and collaboration among researchers and others studying and treating SCIs.
• The U.S. Department of Education offers these resources on SCI:
  • The National Clearinghouse of Rehabilitation Training Materials shares information about SCI research, breakthroughs, and issues.
  • The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research is one of three entities within the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. The Institute supports an SCI Model Systems Program as well as model systems for brain injury and burns.
• Department of Defense SCI Research Program
  This program focuses on finding and funding research on SCI.
• Defense Medical Research and Development Program
  This Pentagon program performs research and development in the areas of blast injury, rehabilitation, and psychological health and wellness.
• Shriners Hospitals for Children
  The Shriners Hospitals for Children system provides care and treatment for SCI at its many locations around the United States. In addition, certain locations specialize in care and treatment of pediatric SCI, including Shriners Hospital for Children — Philadelphia and the Shriners Hospital for Children — Chicago .
  • Craig H. Neilsen Foundation
    The Foundation supports SCI research and physician training to advance its mission of improving quality of life for those living with SCI and finding effective treatments.

Please note: Links to organizations and information included on this page do not indicate endorsement from NICHD, NIH, or HHS.