Welcome to the Physical Disability and Rehabilitation Studies Page

VISITS: 1 visit or phone call

MyPaTH Story Booth 2.0

Interested in sharing your story about health, illness, or research? Patients and caregivers are needed to participate in a research study to help learn more about topics that are important to you and that may improve health and health care. Participation involves one 45-minute session that takes place over the phone. Eligible participants must be able to read and understand English.

DURATION: 45 minutes

LOCATION: By phone

MyPaTH Story Booth: Amplifying African American Voices and Healthcare Experiences

In follow-up of Black History Month, the Story Booth team is putting a special focus on stories from African American storytellers over the next 90 days. We would like to invite patients, caregivers, and health care providers to share their experiences regarding accessing health care. Your voices can empower change to research, patient-centered care, and most importantly, your community.

DURATION: 45 minutes

VISITS: 1 phone call

Remote Wheelchair Maintenance Training Program

Do you use a wheelchair as your primary means of mobility (over 40 hours a week) due to a traumatic spinal cord injury? If so, you may be interested in participating in a research study to find out if an online training program designed to teach people how to improve wheelchair maintenance techniques is effective. Compensation provided.

Other Brain and Nervous System

COMPENSATION: Varies based on participation

REGISTRY

Technology and Disability Research (TDR) Registry

Are you a person with disability or a caregiver/professional working with individuals with disabilities? You may be eligible to participate in a research registry to help advance disability research and meaningful tech solutions. Participants will receive updates on the latest research opportunities and have the option to take part in studies that align with their interests and eligibility.

DURATION: indefinitely

VISITS: one-time questionnaire/yearly contact update

LOCATION: virtually or in-person

Preconception Education for Women with Mobility Disability -- Study 2

Are you interested in learning more about pregnancy for people with disabilities? Would you like to understand more about how to be prepared for pregnancy in a way that is tailored to you and the needs of people with mobility disabilities? You may be able to participate in a research study to learn more about how to provide better preconception education for women with mobility disabilities.

Healthy Volunteer

And 3 more areas

SEX ASSIGNED AT BIRTH: Female

DURATION: about 60 minutes

VISITS: 1 phone call

LOCATION: Phone

COMPENSATION: $80

Chronic Low Back Pain with Mood Symptoms Study

Have you had chronic low back pain for at least six months and also have depression or anxiety symptoms? Are you aged 18-75? You may be able to participate in a research study to compare antidepressant medication and physical therapy for people with chronic low back who also have anxiety and depression symptoms. Compensation is provided.

DURATION: 8 months

VISITS: 6-12 visits in the first 4 months

LOCATION: UPMC Pain Medicine Clinic - Shadyside, Online, & by Phone

COMPENSATION: Up to $220 & public transportation reimbursement

Survey on Transportation and Mobility Needs among People with Disabilities

Do you self-identify as having a disability that affects your mobility and/or use assistive devices? You may be eligible for a research study evaluating the usability of transportation services. The survey requires approximately 45 minutes for completion and can be accessed through any device that connects to the Internet, but it is optimized to be taken on a computer/desktop.

Other Wellness and Lifestyle

And 2 more areas

VISITS: One online survey

DURATION: 45 minutes

LOCATION: Online

COMPENSATION: up to $10

Project RACR: Promoting Resilience, Adjustment, and Community Reintegration after Spinal Cord Injury

Have you been diagnosed with spinal cord injury? If so, you may be able to take part in a research study to help engage in social activities as well as enhance emotional and physical health. Participation involves 9 in-person, telephone, or video visits for up to 3 months. Compensation is provided.

DURATION: Up to 3 months

And 3 more areas

AGE: 18 and up

VISITS: 9 in-person, telephone, or video visits

LOCATION: UPMC Rehabilitation Institute at Mercy Hospital

COMPENSATION: Up to $300

REGISTRY

VISITS: None Required

Movement Disorders Research Registry

Do you have a movement disorder? If so, you may be able to participate in the Movement Disorders Registry. This registry is a list of individuals who are interested in being contacted about future research studies.

LOCATION: By email or phone

Other Injuries/Injury Prevention

NEXUS 2: Evaluating mild TBI & the HPA-IL-6 axis - Orthopedic Injury

Are you 18 to 65? Have you had a recent orthopedic injury? You may be eligible for a research study to understand why some people experience many serious symptoms following a mild traumatic brain injury, while others have very few of these symptoms. Compensation is provided.

ACL Tear

Healthy Volunteer

DURATION: about 3 months

And 1 more area

AGE: 18-65

VISITS: 4 visits

LOCATION: Oakland

COMPENSATION: up to $275

Comparing Lived Experiences Study

Are you African American, Black, or White non-Hispanic and have had a stroke? Did you receive care at UPMC Rehabilitation Institute inpatient rehabilitation facility? You may be eligible for a research study examining the health care experiences and perspectives of African American, Black, and White non-Hispanic individuals who have had a stroke and received inpatient rehabilitation.

Physical Disability and Rehabilitation

And 2 more areas

DURATION: about 1 month

VISITS: online questionnaires and online interview

LOCATION: Online

COMPENSATION: up to $100

Restoring Sensation after Arm Amputation

Are you an amputee with an amputation of one or both arms? Are you between 18 and 70? If so, you may be able to take part in a research study designed to develop new technologies that may improve prosthetic (artificial limb) control and reduce phantom limb pain. Compensation provided.

Other Injuries/Injury Prevention

DURATION: Up to 9 months

AGE: 18 - 70

VISITS: Up to 25 visits

LOCATION: University of Pittsburgh

COMPENSATION: Up to $1,250

Evaluation of MIRA

Are you an amputee with a forearm amputation or wrist disarticulation? Did your amputation occur at least one year ago? You may be eligible for a research study to evaluate a new method to control a robotic prosthetic hand. Compensation is provided.

Featured Research

DURATION: Up to 2 years

Precision Medicine

AGE: 22-70

VISITS: Surgical implantation of the MIRA device

LOCATION: University of Pittsburgh and UPMC Presbyterian Hospital – Oakland

COMPENSATION: $6,600 total

Evaluation of Vision-Guided Shared Control for Assistive Robotics Manipulators

Are you an adult that use a power wheelchair as your primary means of mobility? You may be eligible for a research study to evaluate a new control method for a wheelchair-mounted robotic arm among powered wheelchair users. Compensation provided.

Physical Disability and Rehabilitation

And 1 more area

AGE: 18+

DURATION: 6 hours

VISITS: 1 session or multiple sessions

LOCATION: Human Engineering Research Laboratory, Bakery Square

COMPENSATION: up to $150

TRANSPORT2 Study

Did you have a stroke within the past 6 months and are still experiencing one-sided arm weakness from the stroke? Are 18-80 years old? You may be able to participate in a research study to help find out if non-invasive brain stimulation combined with rehabilitation therapy improves arm weakness. Compensation is provided.

Featured Research

High Blood Pressure

Other Heart and Circulation

LOCATION: UPMC Presbyterian Hospital - Oakland

And 1 more area

AGE: 18-80

DURATION: 3.5 months

VISITS: At least 15

COMPENSATION: $75 per visit

REGISTRY

Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL) Registry

Do you use an assistive device like a wheelchair, scooter, prosthesis (artificial limb), or cane? Are you interested in learning about research related to assistive technology? If so, you may be able to join the Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL) Registry. Participants will be informed of current and future research studies, but are not obligated to participate in a research study.

LOCATION: University of Pittsburgh

AGE: 18 and up

Above the Knee Amputee Research Study

Are you 18-80 years old? Do you have an above the knee amputation and are walking in a conventional socket prosthesis? You may be able to participate in a study to find out how socket design changes affect comfort and mobility for amputees. Participation involves undergoing a CT scan, high-speed X-ray imaging, and ultrasound. Compensation is provided.

Other Injuries/Injury Prevention

LOCATION: University of Pittsburgh Biodynamics Laboratory, UPMC Sports Medicine Center – South Side & UPMC Mercy - Uptown

AGE: 18-80

DURATION: 1-2

VISITS: 4.5 hours

COMPENSATION: Up to $300 & $10 for parking (if needed)

Spinal Cord Stimulation for the treatment of motor deficits in people with Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Are you affected by Spinal Muscular Atrophy? You may be able to participate in a research study using spinal cord stimulation (SCS), an approved clinical therapy for pain syndromes that do not respond to drugs. Unexpectedly, SCS has shown the ability to promote the recovery of leg motor function in people with complete motor paralysis in consequence of spinal cord injury years after injury.

DURATION: 9 months

VISITS: 35 visits

LOCATION: UPMC Presbyterian

COMPENSATION: $1750

Improving Measurement and Treatment of Post-Stroke Neglect – Study 2

Have you had a stroke? Do you have trouble paying attention to both sides of your body because of the stroke and have weakness in your arm or hand? You may be able to participate in a study (3-4 visits with MRI scan) to examine how using non-invasive brain stimulation affects brain activity, arm movement, and the ability to pay attention to each side of your body. Compensation is provided.

LOCATION: UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, Keystone Building – Oakland or Bridgeside Point 1 – 2nd Avenue

Stroke

AGE: 18 and up

DURATION: 2 weeks

VISITS: 3-4 visits

COMPENSATION: $20 per visit

A Sensorimotor Microelectrode Brain-Machine Interface

Do you have little or no ability to use your hands due to a cervical spinal cord injury, brainstem stroke, or spinal stroke? Are you aged 22-70? If so, you may be eligible to take part in a research study involving brain-machine interface (BMI) technology. BMI technology uses signals recorded from the brain to control devices such as a computer or a robotic limb. Compensation provided.

Featured Research