Dr. Jen Rinaldi is available to supervise students interested in studying disability and rehabilitation policy. Dr. Rinaldi researches disability law and policy, institutional and carceral violence, and structural barriers to independent and community living.

February 13, 2024

Ontario Tech University’s Master of Arts in Social Practice and Innovation (MSPI) has begun reviewing applications for the September 2024 start – the application deadline has been extended, and will remain open until 8 slots with funding offers are filled.

February 13, 2024

Dr. Pierre Côté and Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation Research Post-doctoral Fellow (Dr. Jessica Wong) and PhD students (Astrid DeSouza and Dr. Melissa MacMillan) had the privilege to meet with the Hon. Mark Holland.

January 16, 2024

Ontario Tech’s Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation Research becomes a founding member of WHO World Rehabilitation Alliance

International designation opens new avenues for the university institute’s research work

December 6, 2022

Congratulations Dr. Jessica Wong on being awarded the 2022 Banting post-doctoral fellowship. The Banting Fellowship is the most prestigious post-doctoral award in Canada!

Jessica's post-doctoral research at the Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation research will focus on finding innovative approaches to reduce the burden of unmet rehabilitation needs in older adults with back pain.

November 28, 2022

The Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation Research (IDRR) and Cochrane Rehabilitation are pleased to announce a new collaboration that aims to develop solutions to common methodological challenges faced when conducting systematic reviews in the field of rehabilitation.

March 21, 2022

What do institutions owe disabled people when COVID-19 shifts from pandemic to endemic status? What do disabled people need in order to survive and thrive in a post-pandemic world?

December 10, 2021

Follow us and connect with colleagues to discuss issues in disability and rehabilitation research

December 6, 2021

Latest Cochrane reviews related to rehabilitation, new research fellowship, upcoming events ...

November 19, 2021

Read about the latest Cochrane reviews related to rehabilitation, and find out about upcoming news and events:

Spine Tuesday webinars are open to all spine care professions and are held every third Tuesday of the month from 19:00 to 20:00 CEST (1:00 pm Toronto time). There is no registration fee.

October 19:

Evidence based virtual spine care

Prof Pierre Côté

Evidenced based virtual spinal subjective examination

Prof Lisa Roberts
Evidenced based virtual PE of the spine and evidence for virtual spinal rehabilitation

Dr Michelle Cottrell
Delivering high quality virtual spine consultations: A surgeon's perspective

Dr Colin Nnadi

October 5, 2021

Dr. Heather Shearer is preparing to defend her PhD thesis, entitled: The clinical course of pain intensity in children and youth with cerebral palsy

Dr. Shearer is associated with the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (University of Toronto), Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, and the Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation Research.

From Dr. Shearer:
This thesis aimed to identify short-term pain trajectories and their associations with well-being in children and youth with CP.

First, I conducted a systematic review to identify knowledge gaps and describe the clinical course of pain intensity in persons with CP resulting from usual care or specific interventions. Second, I designed a cohort study and tested its feasibility in a cohort of 10 children/youth with CP attending two Ontario children’s treatment centers. Third, I conducted a cohort study including 102 children/youth to identify short-term pain trajectories and their association with well-being.

My thesis advances the study of pain in youth with CP by providing information about short-term pain intensity trajectories and their association with well-being. I synthesized the existing literature about the clinical course of pain intensity and identified how pain trajectory membership is associated with physical and psychological well-being.

The first paper emerging from this research was just published in BMC Pediatrics:
Shearer HM, Côté P, Hogg-Johnson S, McKeever P, Fehlings DL. Identifying pain trajectories in children and youth with cerebral palsy: A pilot study. BMC Pediatr. 2021;21(1):428. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34587937/

September 30, 2021

Title: The development of a global tracer indicator to measure effective coverage for rehabilitation of low back pain
Award: $29,800
Leads: Dr. Jessica Wong/Dr. Pierre Côté, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT).

Impact: In partnership with the WHO, this project will develop a much-needed metric for rehabilitation of LBP from health care providers, including chiropractors. It will be used in high-impact global studies (like the Global Burden of Disease Study) to advance the goal for all people to receive high-quality services and rehabilitation for optimal health and function. This is the first research project of its kind led by university-based chiropractors in Canada.

Wong JJ, Tricco AC, Côté P, Liang CY, Lewis JA, Bouck Z, Rosella LC. Association between depressive symptoms or depression and health outcomes for low back pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Gen Intern Med. 2021 Aug 12.

Read the latest Cochrane Rehabilitation Newsletter (issue 44, July 2021). Trusted evidence. Informed decisions. Better health.

September 16, 2021

British Columbia
Battle over chiropractors' ability to do routine X-rays headed for B.C. court; College of Chiropractors of British Columbia says repeat radiography shows no benefit to patients and increases radiation risk

The College's decision to restrict the use of X-rays comes after a rapid review of the scientific literature on the topic. The team that conducted that research included Pierre Côté, Canada Research Chair in Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation at Ontario Tech University.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-chiropractors-x-ray-policy-1.5957385

Read the rapid review: Corso M, Cancelliere C, Mior S, Kumar V, Smith A, Côté P. The clinical utility of routine spinal radiographs by chiropractors: A rapid review of the literature. Chiropr Man Therap. 2020;28(1):33.

March 22, 2021