Oral Presentations 4
Tracks
Breakout 5
| Thursday, October 8, 2026 |
| 1:30 PM - 2:45 PM |
Overview
Exercised-Based Interventions
Presenter (only the submitting author is listed below; co-presenters, where applicable, will be listed in the conference app)
Dr Ashraf Gorgey
Director Of Sci Research
Richmond Va Medical Center
Hybrid Exoskeleton Integration with Epidural Stimulation after Spinal Cord Injury
Biography
Dr. Ashraf S. Gorgey currently serves as Chief of SCI Research and Director of the SCI Exercise and Body Composition Lab at the Central Virginia Veterans Affairs Health System (CVVAHS). He also serves as a Research Clinical Specialist at the Spinal Cord Injury Service & Disorders and Director of the SCI Move Program at CVVAHS. He has a dual appointment as a Professor, VCU Center for Rehabilitation Science and Engineering, Department of PM&R, School of Medicine. The applicant has been awarded number of SCI research grants including VA Rehabilitation Research and Development Career Development (CDA), VA Merit (I01), and VA Spire (I21) awards; National Science Foundation grants; and DoD-CDRMP awards to study the effects of exercise training using assistive technologies and neurostimulations techniques for post-SCI impairment.
Ms Marthe Langerwerf
Phd Candidate
Erasmus MC
Barriers and facilitators for physical activity in the first year after inpatient rehabilitation discharge in ambulatory individuals with spinal cord injury - A qualitative study
Biography
I'm a researcher of the ActivWalkSci 2.0 project, studying factors associating with physical activity in individuals with spinal cord injury who can walk. Primary, we focus on the energetic cost of walking and its impact on physical activity. This project is conducted at the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Erasmus MC, where I am a PhD candidate. In addition to my research, I work as a physical therapist at the Spinal Cord Injury Surgery Department of Rijndam Rehabilitation.
Maria Del Rocio Hidalgo Mas
Phd Student
University Of Birmingham
Feasibility and acceptability of an early-initiated, self-directed arm-crank exercise training in patients with recent spinal cord injury.
Biography
Physiotherapist with several years of experience in neurological rehabilitation. Currently pursuing a PhD focused on the use of arm crank training to improve trunk control in individuals with spinal cord injury during the subacute phase.
Shalini Srivastava
Mpt(neurology) Student
Indian Spinal Injuries Centre
Augmenting Postural Recovery and Functional Independence after Spinal Cord Injury through Combined Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation and Vestibular-Based Exercises: Randomised Controlled Trial
Biography
I am a dedicated Neurophysiotherapist and clinical researcher committed to bridging the gap between advanced neurological theory and patient-centric care. A Gold Medalist graduate of the Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, I am currently specializing further through an MPT in Neurology at the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, New Delhi. My work is rooted in evidence-based practice and a deep interest in restoring functional independence through innovative therapeutic protocols. I am eager to pursue opportunities that push the boundaries of clinical expertise and contribute to the evolving field of neurological science.
Dr Keira Tranter
Research Fellow / Senior Lecturer
The University of Sydney
Developing evidence-based sets of exercises for the physiotherapy management of people with spinal cord injury: A modified Delphi study.
Biography
Dr Tranter is an Early Career Research Fellow at the John Walsh Centre for Rehabilitation Research and Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Health Sciences, Discipline of Physiotherapy, The University of Sydney. Dr Tranter is a researcher, educator and clinician with 20 years’ experience managing people with spinal cord injury (SCI) across the continuum of care. Her research aims to test the effectiveness of interventions provided by physiotherapists and to develop and implement clinical practice guidelines to guide management for people with SCI and other health conditions.
Dr Shane Balthazaar
Postdoctoral Fellow
Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital
Feasibility, Safety and Participant Experience of Arm-Crank Exercise Training during Subacute Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation
Biography
Shane is a postdoctoral fellow at the Spinal Cord Injury Center at Balgrist University Hospital in Switzerland and has a background in cardiovascular physiology and echocardiography. His research focuses on cardiovascular and autonomic dysfunction after spinal cord injury, with particular interest in exercise, neuromodulation, and early markers of cardiovascular risk. Shane has experience spanning clinical cardiology, rehabilitation research, and advanced cardiac imaging in Canada, the USA, the UK, and now Switzerland. His work combines various cardiovascular and autonomic monitoring strategies to better understand mechanisms of change after injury and to support the development of targeted interventions to improve long-term health outcomes for people living with SCI.