The NeuroRecovery Network, or NRN, is a network of rehabilitation centers that provide activity-based treatment for people are experiencing physical abilities and paralysis. This network is funded and supported by The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and it consists of seven rehabilitation centers located in different parts of the United States. Its mission is to help people with physical disabilities improve their physical function, and experience better health and quality of life.

The NeuroRecovery Network uses the latest scientific technologies to develop effective activity-based treatments for physical disability. Every rehabilitation center is staffed with dedicated professionals who have undergone specialized training to administer NRN therapies. These professionals include center directors, doctors, physical therapists, rehabilitation technicians, case managers, and others. The treatment program that is offered by NRN centers is considerably intense. Participants are required to undergo therapy five days a week, with each session lasting about 90 minutes.

The physical therapy technique that is used in NeuroRecovery Network rehabilitation centers is called locomotor training. In locomotor training, a harness is used to suspend a participant over a treadmill, and a specially-trained therapist will move his or her legs in an attempt to simulate walking. If the therapist sees sufficient improvement in function, the participant will proceed to the next stage, which is walking over the ground. This physical therapy technique was derived from recent scientific discoveries about neural plasticity and the function of the spinal cord in controlling standing and stepping. Neural plasticity determines whether the neurons in a person’s nervous system are capable of developing new connections and learning new functions. Locomotor training works to stimulate nerves and muscles in the lower body repeatedly, and this can result in the awakening of dormant neural pathways.

The effectiveness of the NRN program varies from one participant to another. However, everybody who has participated in the program reported positive changes. A significant percentage of the participants who were unable to walk before entering the program have regained their walking ability. Some of the improvements that were noted in the participants’ physical function include endurance, trunk control, balance, and walking speed. These improvements will help them perform their daily tasks more effectively and reduce their dependence on caregivers. NRN participants also showed improvements in their cardiovascular health, pulmonary function, and bone function, as well as increased bone density.

At the end of 2010, a total of 401 patients have enrolled in or completed NRN therapy protocols, and more than 370 patients have enrolled in the seven NRN rehabilitation centers. Over 140 patients have undergone NRN Community Fitness and Wellness, or CFW, programs, and more than 80 patients have enrolled in rehabilitation programs at NRN CFW centers. Among patients who were unable to walk before participating in NRN programs, 47 have regained their ability to walk.

The seven NRN rehabilitation centers are the Frazier Rehab Institute, The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research, Magee Rehabilitation Hospital, Boston Medical Center, Shepherd Center, Kessler Medical Rehabilitation, and Ohio State University Medical Center. You can visit the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation website to find out more about these centers and their enrollment requirements.

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