United Spinal's Action Online Magazine

Gait Training Today

Practicing walking has a range of health benefits for the person with a spinal cord impairment.

By Rebecca Kellogg

Lokomat PRO with Augmented Feedback: Medical Rehabilitation and Kinematics Lab

Offering powerful health benefits and a chance to progress to greater independence, gait training is an attractive option for many individuals with spinal cord impairments (SCI). This article will look at how gait training works, what it can do for you, and what’s new in gait training technology and research.

How Gait Training Works

Gait training therapy helps individuals with SCI stand and walk with mechanical or other, sometimes human, assistance. Many researchers [...]

Acupuncture and Multiple Sclerosis: Part I—What Is Acupuncture?

A licensed acupuncturist explains why the ancient Chinese practice may be beneficial for alleviating symptoms of MS.

By Gabrielle Gottlieb

When I chose a career in integrative healthcare and became an acupuncturist, it was out of a deep-rooted desire to empower patients to take an active role in their own health and wellbeing. As a practitioner, I help my patients gain a new perspective on what it means to be “healthy” by teaching them to “re-wind” and look inward so they can reexamine their lifestyle, thoughts and the behavioral processes and patterns that may be standing in their way.

Oriental medicine teaches that the [...]

Dwight Owens: A Beacon of Hope for People with Spinal Cord Injury

A Mississippi man is honored in New York for his extraordinary ability to inspire independence among his peers with disabilities.

By Eric Levy

Dwight Owens came to New York City from his hometown of Taylorsville, Mississippi, in June 2010 to be presented an award from the National Conference on Volunteering and Service at Radio City Music Hall.

It was Dwight’s first visit to New York City. The hustle and bustle of Manhattan couldn’t be more different from Taylorsville. He went from a population of 1,300 to one of 1.6 million. New Yorkers were rushing past him at what seemed to be the speed [...]

Back to School, Back to Work, Back to Life

People with acquired spinal cord disorders find transition from rehab to the community easier when they’re shown the ropes by someone who’s been there first.

By Stephanie A. Kolakowsky-Hayner, PhD, Robert Medel, and Kazuko Shem, MD

In the past several decades, we have seen significant improvements in medical management and rehabilitation for individuals with acquired disabilities. With greater life expectancies, the emphasis of rehabilitation is shifting from medical management of acute conditions to challenges that affect quality of life (QOL) and community reintegration. Community reintegration is one of the ultimate goals of rehabilitation as life satisfaction of an individual with disability is [...]

ADA Guidelines Revised

The US Department of Justice has issued final regulations for Titles II and III.

By Jennifer Perry

Accessibility Services staff members have been providing training programs on the revised ADA/ABA Accessibility Guidelines for several years, and everyone always asks, “When will DOJ adopt these new guidelines as an enforceable standard?”

The wait is over!

DOJ has issued final regulations revising Titles II and III, including the ADA Standards for Accessible Design.

According to DOJ, The rule will become effective six months after publication in the Federal Register. Eighteen months after publication, compliance with the 2010 Standards will be required for new construction and alterations. In [...]

United Spinal’s 2010 Kids Sports Spectacular

A joyful day for children with disabilities and their families.

By Tom Scott

On Saturday, August 7, United Spinal Association’s 2010 Kids Sports Spectacular at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was a place where kids with disabilities had the chance to experience the excitement and camaraderie of adaptive sports, gain greater self-confidence, and realize their future potential.

Over 30 children and their families and friends joined United Spinal, its partners, as well as many volunteers for a fun-filled day learning how to play a variety of adaptive sports from tennis, basketball, and baseball to handcycling and hockey.

KSS left a lasting impression on [...]