Nerve, Muscle & Bone Innovation Center

Healing and Recovery for a Wide Variety of Aquired Injuries and Illnesses

The rehabilitation course for patients with nerve, muscle and bone conditions requires precise medical and nursing expertise, sophisticated diagnostic and therapeutic tools, and knowledgeable support. Patients in this Innovation Center have diagnoses including: general disability; post-surgical debility; burn; cancer (e.g., lymphoma); transplant; Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD); peripheral neuropathy; fracture, major orthopedic conditions; primary muscle disorders (e.g., muscular dystrophy); primary joint disorders (e.g. arthritis); and back/spine disorders.

Aggregating patients with such conditions in a unified care and research structure attracts a high volume of patients with varying medical complexity. This depth and breadth of experience continuously sharpens our skill and expertise in facilitating the recovery process.

Reducing Pain and Increasing Mobility

Immediate goals for most patients in the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s Nerve, Muscle & Bone Innovation Center include improvements in total body movement, complex motor and sensory activities, balance, coordination, and higher-level activities of daily living (e.g., cooking, cleaning, gardening, sports and other recreational activities).

The purpose of the Nerve, Muscle & Bone Innovation Center is to pursue the most promising — even groundbreaking — interventions. These interventions offer exciting, ever-more hopeful advances in ability — advances previously unimaginable.

The Nerve, Muscle & Bone Innovation Center’s sole focus is the hundreds of thousands who seek freedom from the pain and limitations related to injuries and conditions affecting fluid movement of the human body.

How We Heal

We integrate traditional therapies with clinical trials and human-subject research, all facilitating neurologic, muscle, bone and joint repair and recovery. Interventions include pharmacotherapeutics, application of biologic materials and applied innovation with smart devices to augment limb function.

Nerve, Muscle & Bone Innovation Center

For over 60 years, we’ve been recognized for the depth of our expertise with conditions affecting the nerves, muscles, bones and joints in adults and children.

Legs + Walking Lab

The Margaret & Mark Stephan Legs + Walking Lab is designed for patients and research participants with diagnoses affecting lower-body function due to brain or spinal cord injury and diseases of the nerves, muscles and bones. Researchers and clinicians focus on advancing trunk, pelvic and leg function, movement, coordination, strength and balance.

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Arms + Hands Lab

The two-story Harris Family Foundation Arms + Hands Lab is a robust environment designed for patients and research participants working on recovering and strengthening complex hand and reaching skills — turning a key, picking up a pen, reaching for a glass, putting on a sweater … all the many things we do with our hands, arms and fingers.

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Pediatric Lab

The lively Grainger Pediatric Lab is specifically designed for Pediatric patients (inpatients and outpatients). In this Lab, children and teens work with doctors, researchers and therapists on advancing ability. The equipment and facilities in this Lab are scaled for both younger children and adolescents of all ages.

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Strength + Endurance Lab

The two-story Nancy W. Knowles Strength + Endurance Lab is designed for patients and research participants who are working on building stamina and resilience. In this Lab, therapy is focused on improving complex motor and endurance activities, coordination and higher-level activities of daily living (cooking, dressing, gardening, sports).

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#1 for 34 Consecutive Years

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What We Treat

Neuromuscular and joint/bone disorders are some of the most wide-ranging we treat. From assisting with persistent aches and pain to helping overcome the life-threatening, AbilityLab can help you.