The Rehabilitation Research Laboratory is located at the GF Strong Rehab Centre and is a part of the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute. The GF Strong Centre is a key provider of rehabilitation services in British Columbia and is renowned for its clinical programs in Acquired Brain Injury (stroke, traumatic brain injury) and Spinal Cord Injury. The Rehabilitation Research Lab serves as a multi-user, interdisciplinary core facility dedicated to excellence in rehabilitation research. This environment allows access to stroke and spinal cord injury patients and clinicians who are relevant to the trainees’ work.
The laboratory has 3000 square feet of research space including:
- Open area for evaluation of motor performance and functional tasks
- Enclosed room for interviews complete with one-way mirror
- Enclosed room for small group focus sessions
- Faculty offices
- Partially enclosed room for strength assessment complete with strength dynamometer
- Wheelchair accessible change room and washroom and
- Graduate student room with networked computer workstations. In addition, there is wireless internet access throughout the lab.
Research equipment includes all the necessary hardware/software required for a comprehensive whole body biomechanical analyses including an Optotrak System for motion analysis, Cosmed metabolic system, ECG, treadmill, Excalibur arm and leg ergometer, 16 channel electromyography system, three forceplates, translating platform for assessing postural reflexes, and a isokinetic strength dynamometer. LabVIEW software is used to control all hardware and up to 64 channels can be collected simultaneously. The forceplates are mounted on rails in a large in-ground pit and their positions can be adjusted to accommodate different locomotor or postural paradigms.
The lab’s research coordinator assists in coordinating data collection schedules and day-to-day events. A free shuttle service (every 30 minutes through the day) is available between GF Strong Centre, Vancouver General Hospital and UBC.
