Welcome to the ISCoS Special Interest Group (SIG) Hub!

Climate & Health

This multidisciplinary forum for professionals aims to review materials and approaches relating to climate change, health, and sustainability in people with spinal cord injury, to raise awareness of climate change and health in SCI, research, and engagement with industry and policy makers.

Engagement & Peer Support

The Engagement and Peer Support SIG aims to promote knowledge and research of ISCOS members regarding:

(a) the meaningful engagement of research users (i.e., people with SCI, organizations, policy-makers, service providers) within research; and

(b) the advancement of SCI peer support programs, services, or interventions.

Nurses

Our aim is to link nurses globally who are working in the specialty of spinal cord injury. Our vision is the enhancement of holistic nursing care given to every person with spinal cord injury or disease, their carers and families. Oversee the activity of the SCI Nurse special interest group. Serve as the link between the SCI Nurses and ISCoS. Promote the specialty role of the spinal cord injury nurse on an international level.

Nutrition

The ISCoS Nutrition SIG is about advancing the nutritional care of people with SCI. We are an enthusiastic multi-disciplinary group currently of around 30 people. We meet regularly to raise the profile of nutrition, to share information and to cooperate in areas such as guideline development, nutrition education and research collaboration.

Occupational Therapy

The Occupational Therapy Special Interest Group (OT SIG) within ISCoS aims to link occupational therapists working in the specialty of Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI) around the world to share knowledge in Occupational

Therapy and SCI. The aims include:

- Share good practice and increase knowledge;
- Provide online resources;
- Share individually made assistive technology solutions;
- Share tips and tricks for independent living with SCI;
- Increase network and the possibilities of exchange programmes.

Paediatric

Initiate an online forum to discuss best-practice/ evidence-based clinical care guidelines for paediatric SCI. Tangible outcomes will include preparation of fact sheets providing information regarding the latest clinical care practice guidelines to families and patients with SCI, including translation into different languages. Establish an educational workshop and research symposium track in parallel with the ISCoS general meeting related to the biopsychosocial care of youth with paediatric SCI.

Develop an international research/prevention/ epidemiology framework based on life and health research priorities and clinical needs of stakeholders, with eDelphi groups, from low-to-middle income countries (LMIC).

Physical Activity

The purpose of the ISCoS Physical Activity (PA) Special Interest Group (SIG) is to advance the science, clinical foundation, and widespread adoption of physical activity for people with SCI. The ISCoS PA SIG includes over 50 members from nine countries; the Governing Panel is comprised of nine researchers from Australia, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States of America (USA), with clinical and research experience in clinical exercise physiology, exercise prescription and outcome assessment, health behavior change, knowledge translation, mental health, physiotherapy, and physical fitness.

Physiotherapists

The International Networking of Spinal Cord Injury Physiotherapists worldwide. SCIPT was born years ago through PT Lisa Harvey and Joanne Glinsky from Australia. We are working on active networking with many colleagues participating from different regions of the world. Many goals keep us active but we work for PT colleagues training and for the best SCI patient care and management.

Psychosocial

An ISCoS multidisciplinary special interest group for people with an interest in spinal cord injury psychosocial care, including people with lived experience. Addressing the interaction of social and psychological factors on a person's health and wellbeing through clinical practice and research. Aiming to promote psychosocial issues throughout ISCoS and the SCI community. We believe that psychosocial care is relevant to everyone working with people who have spinal cord injury, and everyone should gain basic skills through our modules on eLearnSCI.

Aims include:

- Serve, connect and support everyone with an interest in psychosocial issues;
- Promote psychosocial clinical and research activities in SCI/D;
- Promote multidisciplinary psychosocial participation within ISCoS events.

Spine Trauma Group

Spine Trauma Study Group (STSG) of International Spinal Cord Society is a Special Interest Group (SIG) comprising of physiatrists, surgeons and other experts with special interest in management of Traumatic and Non-traumatic lesions of the vertebral column with or without neurological deficit.

It has the following aims and objectives: 

- To study the natural history of Traumatic (vertebral fracture) and Non-traumatic (infections, degenerative, tumors etc) vertebral lesions

- To study the evaluation and classification of the vertebral lesions

- To assess the various methods of management of the vertebral lesions and their outcomes.

- To conduct multicentric research on various aspects pertaining to management of Traumatic and Non-traumatic vertebral lesions.

- To conduct educational, scientific and advocacy activities in the field.

- To explore development of an ideal model of training of health professionals and service delivery for patients with Traumatic and Non-traumatic vertebral lesions.

Quality of Life

The overall aim of the QoL SIG is to conduct a forum designed to educate members, discuss information about how QoL outcomes can be used in research and clinical care, and encourage collaborations.

Objectives include:

- To improve knowledge and education about QoL research among ISCoS members;
- Promote a clear definition and measurement of QoL related to SCI;
- Encourage collaboration activities among members;
- Discuss comparative and cross-cultural perspectives in QoL;
- Discuss the role of QoL in SCI-related trials.