AbilityLab Blog
See the latest news, updates and patient stories from the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab.
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab Ranked No. 1 by U.S. News & World Report for 32nd Consecutive Year
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (formerly Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago) again has been recognized as the national leader in physical medicine and rehabilitation, topping the U.S. News & World Report list for the 32nd consecutive year. It remains the only hospital of any kind to hold this distinction.
Press Release
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Meet Dr. Ishan Roy — Physician-Scientist Researching Cachexia, a Cancer-Related Muscle Wasting
After officially joining Shirley Ryan AbilityLab as an attending physician-scientist in 2021, Ishan Roy, MD, PhD, practices clinically in the Cancer Rehabilitation Clinic and focuses his research on cachexia (pronounced ca-kex-ia).
Blog
Dr. Ishan Roy Featured in National Cancer Institute’s Cancer.gov Article on Cachexia
In a recent article published on the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Cancer.gov website, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s Ishan Roy, MD, PhD, attending physician, Cancer Rehabilitation Clinic, and research scientist, was featured prominently as an expert on cachexia — a cancer-related muscle-wasting syndrome.
Blog
Recovered quadriplegic from Chicago prepares to swim in San Francisco Bay to raise awareness of paralysis. ‘Doesn’t surprise me a bit,’ says mom.
From the beach where he swims on Lake Michigan, Rob Heitz can point out the green facade of the rehabilitation hospital where he began his recovery journey after being paralyzed from the neck down 19 years ago.
Blog
Youth Adaptive Swim Team Earns Outstanding Results at Junior Nationals
Six members of Shirley Ryan AbilityLab's recreational swim program — the Megalodons (named for the largest shark of all time, which lived at the time of dinosaurs) — recently won an outstanding 12 medals in Paralympic events at the Moved United Junior Nationals in Denver.
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How People With Disabilities Can Overcome Barriers to Physical Activity
Whether people are born with a disability or develop one due to an illness, injury or chronic condition, regular physical activity can help improve quality of life and reduce the risk for other health issues or complications.
Blog
Behind the Scenes: Sensory Room
Our sensory room offers a customizable experience for patients to explore and is geared toward all ability levels — from those who are minimally conscious to those with behavior regulation disorders. Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is the only rehabilitation hospital to offer this innovative space.
Watch as Alison and Kyra introduce this space and learn more about our Brain Injury program: https://bit.ly/3Or9UYd
Watch as Alison and Kyra introduce this space and learn more about our Brain Injury program: https://bit.ly/3Or9UYd
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Watch Spark! 2022 Video: Behind the Scenes of SCI Neurostimulation Research with Dr. Monica Perez
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Kyle Crosses the Finish Line
At 30 years old, Kyle experienced a rare brainstem stroke causing a condition called locked-in syndrome. Although his cognitive abilities were completely intact, he was unable to move or talk.
Patient Story
In the News: Dr. Hargrove Featured on CNBC
CNBC’s The News with Shepard Smith recently aired a segment on artificial touch in prosthetic limbs. The story included quotes from Levi Hargrove, PhD, scientific chair, Regenstein Foundation Center for Bionic Medicine, offering expert opinion on the future of bionics.
News
Behind the Scenes: SCI Neurostimulation Research
Research led by Monica Perez, PhD, uses a noninvasive neurostimulation treatment to target synaptic connections in the spinal cord. In the process, it improves and preserves physical therapy functional improvements in patients with spinal cord injury — temporarily mending the broken connection between the brain and spinal cord.
Blog