Our Spinal Cord Injury Program
When you choose the University of Utah Health for you or your family member’s spinal cord injury rehabilitation, you are choosing a program that marshals the resources of an entire university and academic health center to aid in your recovery.
The Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital is directly connected to our University Hospital, which gives you immediate access to all of the medical professionals involved in optimizing your care. Complex patients — even those on a ventilator — will have a unique care team that only a prominent academic medical center can provide. We offer every possible therapy and support service including the most advanced rehabilitation technology to make you as independent as possible and achieve your rehabilitation goals.
University of Utah Health is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities with a specialty certification in spinal cord injury, which reflects our commitment to being among the nation’s best at treating spinal cord injuries.
MOST ADVANCED
Adaptive Recreation Program: TRAILS
ON-SITE PULMONOLOGIST
& dedicated respiratory therapy
MORE THAN 90% OF PATIENTS
return to their home after the program
Types of Spinal Cord Injuries
Depending on the location of your injury, you may have lost some or all feeling and muscle control in certain areas of your body. There are two types of spinal cord injuries:
- Incomplete spinal cord injury—If you have an incomplete injury, you have the ability to move some muscles or experience some sensation beneath the injury site. Patients with this kind of spinal cord injury may have a greater potential to regain more muscle control and sensation.
- Complete spinal cord injury—If you have a complete injury, you cannot move the muscles or experience sensation beneath the injury site. Your spinal cord does not need to be cut for this to occur. A spinal cord bruise can have a similar effect.
However, a new body of research suggests that the standard definitions of complete and incomplete may not always tell the full story. Ongoing physical exams by your clinical team could help clarify your type of injury and potential for return of function.
We even treat other paralyzing conditions:
- Multiple sclerosis—This is when your immune system attacks the protective covering of your nerves, which can cause communication problems between your brain and your body.
- Guillain-Barré syndrome—This is a rare inflammatory disease that also occurs when your immune system also attacks the protective covering of your nerves. This may prevent your nerves from sending signals to the muscles.
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig’s disease—This disease affects your spinal cord which can cause progressive weakness or muscle atrophy (wasting away of body tissue).
- Complex trauma with nerve injury
- Brain stem injury—This type of injury may cause locked-in syndrome, a condition where a person is fully conscious. However, they can't move or communicate except through eye movements or blinking.
Spinal Cord Injury Treatment Team
We will work with you to create a personalized rehabilitation plan to help you attain your physical, mental, and emotional goals. In partnership with you, your family, or other care providers, we will set you on the path toward returning to as many of your personal, professional, and recreational activities as possible.
Your treatment may include working with a variety of professionals:
- Physiatrists (rehabilitation physicians)
- Physical therapists
- Occupational therapists
- Speech therapists
- Neurologists
- Pulmonologists
- Nurses
- Social workers
- Case managers
- Rehabilitation educators
- Recreation specialists
- Psychologists
- Urologists
Watch Patient Johnny Lesny Drake's SCI Recovery
Find a Spinal Cord Injury Specialist
Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Services
We offer the following services and treatments for you or your family member recovering from a spinal cord injury:
Muscle maintenance and strengthening—Spinal cord injury recovery and rehabilitation means maintaining and strengthening your muscles. Our physical therapists will guide you through an individualized treatment plan to maximize your improvement in strength, coordination, and endurance.
Redeveloping motor skills—Physical, occupational, and speech therapists will help you optimize your ability to accomplish daily living activities with your current level of function while helping you progress towards greater skill and independence.
Indoor and outdoor rehabilitation—Our rehabilitation facility was designed with both indoor and outdoor spaces including an indoor/outdoor gym experience and rehabilitation courtyard, which will offer important therapeutic challenges during your rehabilitation stay.
Seating and mobility clinic—When a manual or power wheelchair is required, our dedicated team of seating and positioning experts is essential for providing the best wheelchair equipment and accessories possible. Our clinic will also act as a partner in finding the right piece of adaptive sports or adventure gear to keep you active and healthy.
Mobility garage—We offer space within our Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital to bring your vehicle into a climate-controlled environment. At our mobility garage, you can practice entering and exiting your vehicle and explore adaptive equipment that will help you return to driving sooner. This space will also serve as a showcase for the latest accessible vehicles and mobility technology.
Driving evaluation—An advanced driving simulator for hospital and community patients is available for practicing driving skills before returning to the road. An occupational therapy driving instructor will help assess your vision, reaction time, and cognitive processing speed to accurately determine your readiness to drive. Once we complete these tasks, the therapist will accompany you in a car on the road and monitor your progress.
Education and training—A rehab education specialist provides a comprehensive education program for patients, families, and caregivers during your hospital stay. Outpatient education forums occur throughout the year to bring you the latest information about spinal cord injury research and community resources. Busy family members and care providers can participate remotely using computers and video conferencing.
Prosthetics and orthotics fitting and training—We utilize orthotics and prosthetics to help assist you with your mobility and daily activities. New 3D printing technology allows us to quickly create custom solutions for your particular needs.
Occupational therapy—While you are in the hospital, you will meet one-on-one with an occupational therapist several times a week to learn more about how to function in your new body. You will discuss and explore the following topics:
- Spinal cord anatomy
- Spinal cord injury definition
- Bladder and bowel issue management
- Prevention of skin problems
- Sexual function challenges
- Nutrition
Speech therapy—For many patients that require ventilator use, our speech language pathologists are essential to return to safe eating and effective speech.
Ventilator weaning and care—Ventilator weaning is the gradual process of reducing and ultimately discontinuing ventilator support as a patient regains the ability to breathe independently. This involves careful assessment of the patient's respiratory function, strength, and overall health status to ensure they're ready to be weaned off the ventilator. Throughout this process, general ventilator care is essential to maintain patient safety and comfort.
Diaphragmatic pacing—This technique helps patients with respiratory weakness or paralysis. It involves using electrical stimulation to activate the diaphragm, the muscle primarily responsible for breathing. This stimulation can be delivered through an implanted device or externally. Diaphragmatic pacing can be used as a long-term alternative to mechanical ventilation, particularly for patients with spinal cord injuries or certain neuromuscular diseases.
Additional rehabilitation services include the following:
- Psychological counseling
- Marital counseling
- Sexual and fertility clinic
- Substance abuse counseling
- Medication management services
- Nutrition services and counseling
- Vocational counseling
Adaptive Technology We Use
Our researchers are always on the lookout for the latest technological solutions during rehabilitation in the hospital and in the community. We use the latest cutting-edge technology:
ZeroG—This is a robotic body-weight support system that helps partially unweight the patient to provide a “reduced gravity” environment for rehabilitation activities. We have the longest track in the world and are the first hospital to utilize this safe and effective system over stairs. ZeroG allows patients to focus on certain muscles and movements with no chance of falling.
Functional electrical stimulation (FES)—We attach electrodes to a patient’s limbs to stimulate his or her nerves. This allows someone to maintain muscle mass, even in paralyzed muscles, while getting an effective cardio workout. Patients with paralysis can ride a stationary FES bike or use a stepping machine while supported with a harness.
Exoskeletons—Patients with paralysis can wear battery-powered brace-like devices that help them stand and walk. These devices are available for use in both the hospital and outpatient therapy.
Digital Innovation Lab & Assistive Technology Center—This center allows patients to explore the very latest in technological solutions to improve their lives. Computer science specialists work actively with patients in the same space to test the newest technology breakthroughs to benefit you.
Eye-gaze technology— Any technology that has a computer interface can be controlled with a person's eyes. Our occupational therapy technology experts will develop the right solution to keep even individuals with the most complex injuries in charge of their lives.
We are also dedicated to exploring effective and affordable tools for you to use at home after you leave the hospital. We offer equipment that includes lift systems, travel equipment, wheelchairs, and other technology that can be temporarily borrowed from our demo closet. The goal is to help you succeed at home until you are able to acquire the appropriate tools.
After the Hospital: Spinal Cord Injury Management
Many spinal cord injury patients continue to take advantage of our programs and facilities for years after their initial injury. Our spinal cord rehabilitation specialists will provide you with treatment and services long after you leave our hospital — even if you live outside Salt Lake City.
We offer the following programs and services to help support you throughout your ongoing spinal cord injury recovery and management.
Telemedicine
After you leave the hospital or the region, our doctors can stay in touch with you via videoconferencing—a part of our telemedicine program. We will act as your spinal cord injury specialist, primary care provider, and urgent care provider to help you with medical challenges related to your injury and everyday life.
Wellness Program
You can continue to use the rehabilitation equipment at our wellness gyms, which offer everything from ski training to Zumba. Physical and occupational therapy-designed wellness plans are offered in a group setting. Our ongoing lifestyle and nutrition classes help our patients maintain good health and a high quality of life. These programs are designed to be easily accessible and affordable.
TRAILS
Our adaptive sports program, TRAILS (Technology Recreation Access Independence Lifestyle Sports), has received national attention for helping patients stay active and return to a sport they love or just discovered. Patients of all ability levels are encouraged to participate in the many activities that we hold nearly every day of the week year-round.
Patient Outcomes
OUR PATIENTS
163 patients treated in 2023
- 91 non-traumatic 72 traumatic
- 66% Male 34% Female
- Average age of our patients = 55
- Patients stayed an average of 29.6 days
- Average number of therapy hours per day = 3.5
PATIENT SATISFACTION
How satisfied were patients with their care?
- 96% of our spinal cord injury patients were satisfied to very satisfied with their care
- 94% of our spinal cord injury patients agree or strongly agree that they were involved with decision making during their rehabilitation program
FUNCTIONAL IMPROVEMENT
How much progress do patients make in the functional areas of self-care and mobility?
Higher scores indicate increased levels of independence.
- ADMISSION 53.4
- DISCHARGE 92.3
- 90 DAY FOLLOW-UP 102
QUALITY OF LIFE
How did patients feel after leaving the hospital?
- 94% of our spinal cord injury patients agree or strongly agree that the rehabilitation program prepared them for going home.
- 94% of our spinal cord injury patients agreed or strongly agreed that the rehabilitation program improved their quality of life.
Meet with Our Spinal Cord Injury Specialists
For questions or information on how to be admitted to Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital or how to access our programs, please call our referral line at 801-646-8000. Our referral specialist will work with your current provider to obtain necessary medical records and verify your insurance benefits for coverage.
Learn About Spinal Cord Injuries From a PM&R Specialist
Meet Our Patients
Rehabilitation Resources
Self-Care Guide for Spinal Cord Injury Patients
The goal of rehabilitation is to help you design a lifestyle that will allow you to function as independently as possible within the realm of your ability. This manual covers many things you learn while you are in the hospital that you can use at home. Yes, You Can! courtesy of Paralyzed Veterans of America.
Spinal Cord Injury & Fertility
Some patients with a spinal cord injury may have erectile and/or ejaculatory dysfunction. Our fertility specialists are highly trained in treating these types of disorders to help get your sexual function back.
Accreditations & Memberships
