The NICHD-funded Limb Loss and Preservation Registry is the first database of its kind to standardize, collect, measure, and report outcomes of clinical data for those providing support to the more than 5.6 million people living with limb loss or limb difference in the United States. Now under new stewardship, the registry is looking toward a new phase of growth.
News
NICHD issues News Releases and Media Advisories to the news media. Spotlight and Research Feature articles explain NICHD research findings and public health issues to the general public. An Item of Interest is a short announcement of relevant information, such as a notable staff change.
Item of Interest: NIH launches prize competition to improve health equity for people with disabilities
NIH launched a new federal challenge to encourage community-based organizations to develop and implement strategies to reduce health disparities experienced by people with disabilities.
Director's Corner: Promoting Safe and Healthy Summers
Summer’s long days and warm weather allow for more time spent outdoors, benefiting physical and mental health. But heat also can have harmful health effects, and outdoor recreation carries the risk of injuries. NICHD research seeks to understand the impacts of climate change, prevent drownings, and help ensure safe participation in summer sports.
Science Update: New surgical procedure enables below-knee amputees to achieve more natural gait, NIH-funded study suggests
A new surgical procedure that connects opposing muscles in below-knee amputations allows greater control of a robotic prosthesis. The procedure restores connection of opposing muscles, lost by the amputation procedure.
Director's Corner: BRAIN at 10: A View from NICHD
NIH’s BRAIN Initiative is marking a milestone—10 years of advancing neuroscience and neurotechnology research by funding innovative projects. Dr. Bianchi shares her perspective on the impact BRAIN has made on NICHD’s mission.
Media Advisory: Service dogs may reduce PTSD symptoms for military members and veterans, NIH-funded study suggests
For military members and veterans who have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), adding a service dog to their usual care could reduce the severity of PTSD symptoms, feelings of anxiety, and lower depression while enhancing their quality of life and psychosocial functioning, a new study suggests. The trial is the largest nationwide study comparing service dog partnerships to usual care alone.
Science Update: Step monitoring and coaching more effective at improving physical activity after stroke than traditional therapy, NIH-funded study suggests
A step monitoring program for stroke survivors is more effective at spurring long-term physical activity than the traditional therapy of high-intensity walking. The step program appears to reduce the chances that stroke survivors will become sedentary after their therapy is complete, which increases the risk for future strokes.
Spotlight: Looking Back on NICHD in 2023
As we ring in 2024, we’d like to take a brief look back on our accomplishments during 2023. These activities illustrate the institute’s continued commitment to research and training in its mission areas.
Director's Corner: Reducing Ableism in Medicine and Research
Ableism—discrimination and social prejudice against those who are disabled—is a major contributor to the health disparities experienced by people with disabilities. Within NIH, NICHD has been at the forefront of efforts to address ableism in medicine and scientific research.
Media Advisory: New smartphone app quickly analyzes human motion to aid physical rehabilitation
Researchers have developed a smart phone app that can track and analyze human locomotion—the ability to move from one place to another—and other types of movements. They suggest that using the app costs only 1% of conventional motion analysis techniques and works 25 times faster.
Item of Interest: NIH and partners launch public-private effort to advance pediatric medical device development
NIH announced the launch of the design phase of a public-private partnership addressing the lack of medical devices designed and approved for children in the United States. In this initial phase, NIH and partners will develop a detailed plan to build and launch a partnership that will bring together the resources of U.S.
government agencies and private sector organizations, including industry and non-profits.
Spotlight: Novel Mobility Survey Taps Prosthesis Users’ Perspectives to Guide Care
A self-report tool developed with NICHD funding gathers feedback from lower-limb prosthesis
wearers to better assess mobility challenges and inform treatment. Its use in clinical settings worldwide is
changing the rehabilitation landscape and spurring the creation of similar tools for other audiences.
Director's Corner: Supporting Small Business Innovations
Small businesses play a critical role in driving scientific progress by helping to move innovations out of labs and into the public marketplace. NICHD grants to small businesses have supported development of products ranging from the first FDA-approved endometriosis treatment to at-home rehabilitation devices.
Selected NICHD Research Advances of 2022
Read about NICHD’s research findings and activities from 2022.
Release: NIH announces winners of 2022 DEBUT Challenge
The nine winning teams and five honorable mentions designed technology solutions to unmet health care needs.
Spotlight: Selected NICHD Research Advances of 2021
Read about NICHD’s research findings and activities from 2021.
Item of Interest: NIH Research Plan on Rehabilitation Now Available
The newly published 2021 NIH Research Plan on Rehabilitation reflects advances since the previous plan was released in 2016 and new directions that will help guide rehabilitation research across NIH for the next five years.
Media Advisory: High dose of concentrated therapy produces several lasting benefits for children with cerebral palsy
Findings on Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) may inform updates to clinical practice guidelines.
Spotlight: Women in Science: Alison Cernich: A Practice in Resilience and Compassion
Read about the career and achievements of NICHD Deputy Director Dr. Alison Cernich.
Director's Corner: Reflecting on our Science Advances in 2020
2020 was a year filled with many challenges. NICHD remained focused on our core mission, advancing key research in women’s health, reproductive science, rare childhood diseases and many more. Watch the video below and review our research highlights of 2020.