Canadian ABT Expo 2023

Supported by the Praxis Spinal Cord Institute the Canadian Activity Based Therapy (ABT) Summit was held in 2019 to obtain consensus on neuro-restorative therapy in Canada, and identify priorities needed to improve the quality of and access to activity-based therapy (ABT) for individuals with spinal cord injury in Canada. The Canadian Activity Based Therapy Community of Practice (ABT CoP) was later developed to advance these goals. In the 4 years following this Summit, there have been many advancements in the field of ABT.
The Canadian Activity Based Therapy (ABT) Expo was held on October 24th, 2023 to showcase accomplishments in the field of ABT, highlight the ongoing research in the field, and discuss opportunities for improvement. The Expo brought together Canadian and international researchers, clinicians, and people with lived experience to discuss ongoing research, clinical initiatives and priorities needed to continue to move the field forward.
Keynote Speakers included:
Dr. Ashley Dalrymple, PhD - Assistant Professor Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Utah. Dr. Dalrymple discussed her work using spinal cord stimulation for functional recovery and pain alleviation after neural injury.
Dr. Leslie Morse - Department Head & Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Minnesota School of Medicine. Dr. Morse reviewed a survey conducted by the University of Minnesota in partnership with Unite 2 Fight Paralysis to collect valuable data from Activity Based Therapy centers and participants in North America, providing unique insights into the current state and future direction of this important field.
The Expo also included a multi-stakeholder panel on ABT in the transition from rehabilitation hospital to community living and presentations on:
• Motor and Autonomic Concomitant Health Improvement with Neuromodulation and Exoskeleton (MACHINE) training study (Dr. Claire Shackleton)
• Spinal cord injury rehabilitation: a functional electrical stimulation cycling toolkit for acute care (Dr. Hope Jervis-Rademeyer)
• Implementation of a Locomotor Training Program Using a Powered Exoskeleton Combined with Functional Electrical Stimulation in Clinical Practice for Persons with an Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury (Dr. Laurent Bouyer)