The Cochrane Rehabilitation, Functioning, and Disability Thematic Group (CochraneRehab) is among the leading forces in advancing research, refining clinical practices, and enhancing functioning outcomes and quality of life of people with disabling health conditions.
About us
Worldwide, more than two billion individuals have conditions that could benefit from rehabilitation. This includes more than one billion people with disabilities who face significant barriers to participation and inclusion into society, and accessing healthcare.
Our vision
Our vision is a world where the best available evidence informs rehabilitation, treatment, and health policy and systems decisions regarding the health and functioning of people experiencing disability.
Our mission
Our mission is to advance the health and functioning of people experiencing or at risk of experiencing disability worldwide by supporting the generation, synthesis, and use of high-quality evidence across professions, cultures, languages, and economic contexts. We do this by:
- strengthening evidence production and synthesis, particularly in rehabilitation, explicitly positioning functioning as a core health indicator alongside mortality and morbidity;
- facilitating the implementation of evidence into practice and policy through knowledge translation, education, and training;
- promoting evidence-based practices that integrate scientific evidence with professional expertise and the values and preferences of people experiencing disability.
Our goals
The goals of Cochrane Rehabilitation, Functioning, and Disability aim to create a comprehensive framework focusing on equity, inclusion, and collaboration by:
- Creation of a global network. Establish and foster a worldwide network of diverse participants, including researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and people involved in rehabilitation, who engage in the creation and application of evidence-based practices relevant to rehabilitation, functioning, and disability.
- Knowledge translation and dissemination. Facilitate translating Cochrane reviews and pertinent evidence into various accessible formats and languages, ensuring effective dissemination and understanding across diverse global audiences.
- Capacity building and methodological advancements on rehabilitation, functioning and disability:
- Boost the knowledge and skills of interested parties to implement and generate high-quality, evidence-based practices, emphasizing functioning and rehabilitation and incorporating other health strategies (promotive, preventive, curative, and palliative) for people experiencing disability.
- Pursue ongoing methodological improvement and innovation to support robust evidence synthesis.
- Introduce in (Cochrane) evidence synthesis products functioning as a main health indicator.
- Equity, inclusion, and policy impact on rehabilitation, functioning and disability:
- Formulate strategies that focus on the needs of low and middle-income countries, integrate health equity, and use evidence to inform and drive policy changes, advocating for equitable healthcare practices globally.
- Advocate for and produce evidence synthesis on health policy and system research, inform policy change on rehabilitation, functioning, and disability, and facilitate the production of evidence-based recommendations.
- Prioritization and evidence synthesis. Prioritize and synthesize the highest-quality evidence on rehabilitation and for people experiencing disability, ensuring it is aligned with the evolving priorities and needs of the global community.
Our people
Our team
The Thematic Group is composed of Units, each with a chair and vice-chair. The leadership of CochraneRehab comprises:
- the Director
- the Board of Chairs, which is composed of the chairs of each single unit
Stefano Negrini, Director, CochraneRehab. Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan; Laboratory of Evidence- Based Rehabilitation, IRCCS Galeazzi Sant’Ambrogio Hospital, Milan, Italy
The Units
Antioquia University
- Luz Helena Lugo-Agudelo, Chair. Rehabilitation in Health Research Group, School of Medicine, University of Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia
- Ana-Maria Posada Borrero, Vice-Chair. School of Medicine, University of Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia
CERC, Humanitas University
- Chiara Arienti, Chair. Clinical Epidemiology Research Center (CERC), Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
- Holger Schünemann, Vice-Chair. Clinical Epidemiology Research Center (CERC), Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
Cologne University
- Sascha Köpke, Chair. Institute of Nursing Science, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Germany
Complementary Medicine Field
- L. Susan Wieland, Chair. Cochrane Complementary Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, United States
- Holger Cramer, Vice-Chair. Cochrane Complementary Medicine, University of Tübingen, Germany
Florence University
- Francesca Cecchi, Chair. Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine , University of Florence, Italy
- Gianni Virgili, Co-chair. Cochrane Eyes and Vision, University of Florence, Italy
Galeazzi Sant’Ambrogio Research Hospital
- Carlotte Kiekens, Chair. CochraneRehab, Laboratory of Evidence-Based Rehabilitation, IRCCS Galeazzi Sant’Ambrogio Hospital, Milan, Italy
- Claudio Cordani, Vice-Chair. Laboratory of Evidence-Based Rehabilitation, IRCCS Galeazzi Sant’Ambrogio Hospital, Milan, Italy
IDRR, OntarioTech University
- Pierre Côté, Chair. Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation Research (IDRR), Faculty of Health Sciences, Ontario Tech University, Toronto, Canada
- Carolina Cancelliere, Vice-Chair. Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation Research and Faculty of Health Sciences, Ontario Tech University, Oshawa, Canada
Lucerne University
- Sara Rubinelli, Chair. Center for Rehabilitation in Global Health Systems (WHO CC), Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Switzerland
Carla Sabariego, Vice-Chair. Center for Rehabilitation in Global Health Systems (WHO CC), Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Switzerland
Marche Polytechnic University
- Maria Gabriella Ceravolo, Chair. Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Politecnica delle Marche University, Ancona, Italy
- Marianna Capecci, Vice-Chair. Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Politecnica delle Marche, University, Ancona, Italy
Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg
- Thorsten Meyer-Feil, Chair. Institute for Rehabilitation Medicine, Medical Faculty, University Medicine Halle, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
- Gabriele Meyer, Vice-Chair. Institute of Health, Midwifery and Nursing Science, Medical Faculty, University Medicine Halle, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
Milan University
- Stefano Negrini, Director. CochraneRehab, Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan; Laboratory of Evidence Based Rehabilitation, IRCCS Galeazzi Sant’Ambrogio Hospital, Milan, Italy
- Irene Battel, Post-doc researcher, University of Milan, Italy
Neurological Sciences Field
- Teresa Anna Cantisani, Chair. Cochrane Neurological Sciences, Perugia, Italy
- Sara Mancone, Vice-Chair. Cochrane Neurological Sciences, Perugia, Italy
Sydney
- Lisa Harvey, Chair. John Walsh Centre for Rehabilitation Research, University of Sydney, Australia
- Joanne Glinsky, Vice-Chair. John Walsh Centre for Rehabilitation Research, Sydney School of Health Sciences, Australia
UMSS Seville University
- Javier Martinez-Calderon, Chair. Department of Physiotherapy, University of Seville, Spain. CTS 1110: Understanding Movement and Self in health from Science (UMSS) Research Group, Andalusia, Spain.
- Cristina García-Muñoz, Vice-Chair. Loyola University, Andalusia, Spain. CTS 1110: Understanding Movement and Self in health from Science (UMSS) Research Group, Andalusia, Spain.
University of Jordan
- Rawan AlHeresh, Chair. School of Rehabilitation Sciences & Public Health Institute, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
- Ziad Hawemdeh, Vice-Chair. School of Medicine, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
Vanvitelli University
- Francesca Gimigliano, Chair. Department of Mental and Physical Health and Preventive Medicine, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy
- Sara Liguori, Vice-Chair. Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties and Dentistry, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy
Advisory Board
Global Societies
- Joann Starks, M. Ed., Co-chair of Campbell Disability Coordinating Group
- Dr Brian Reichow, Editor of Campbell Disability Coordinating Group
- Prof. Marian C Brady, International Association of Communication Sciences and Disorders
- Dr. Bérangère Gohy, Representative of Humanity & Inclusion
- Prof. Astrid Van Wieringen, President Elect of International Society of Audiology
- Alex Kamadu, Executive Director of International Society of Wheelchair Professionals
- Prof. Edward Lemaire, Past President of International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics
- Prof. Gerard Francisco, President of International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
- Dr. Kylie Porritt, Representative of JBI
- Dr. Kathleen Murphy, Director of KTDRR - Center on Knowledge Translation for Disability and Rehabilitation Research
- Prof. Christoph Gutenbrunner, President of Rehabilitation International
- Prof. David Charles Good, Past President of World Federation for NeuroRehabilitation
- Prof. Lynette MacKenzie, Representative of World Federation of Occupational Therapists
- Prof. & Dr. Alarcos Cieza, Coordinator of Disability and Rehabilitation for World Health Organization
- Dr. Kaloyan Kamenov, Technical Lead (Disability) at World Health Organization Headquarters
- Prof. Linda J. Woodhouse, Representative of World Physiotherapy
Regional societies
- Prof. Reynaldo Rey-Matias, Past President of Asia-Oceanian Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
- Prof. Gustavo Bocca, Past President of Asociacion Medica LatinoAmericana de Rehabilitation
- Prof. Jorge Laíns, President of European Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine
- Dr. Klemen Grabljevec, President of European Society of Physical & Rehabilitation Medicine
- Dr. Mauro Zampolini, President of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Section and Board of the European Union of Medical Specialists
- Prof. & Dr. Verónica Silvana Matassa, President of SOCILAR - Latin American Scientific Society for Rehabilitation
Journals
- Prof. Manoj Sivan, Editor-in-Chief Advances in Rehabilitation Science and Practice
- Prof. Stacey Reynolds, Editor-in-Chief American Journal of Occupational Therapy
- Prof. Walter R. Frontera, Editor-in-Chief American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Prof. Dominic Pérennou, Editor-in-Chief Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
- Dr. Leighton Chan, Editor-in-Chief Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Prof. Allen W. Heinemann, Editor-in-Chief Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Prof. Avril Drummond, Editor-in-Chief Clinical Rehabilitation
- Prof. Bernard Dan, Editor-in-Chief Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology
- Prof. Wendy Machalicek, Editor-in-Chief Developmental Neurorehabilitation
- Prof. Dave Muller, Editor-in-Chief Disability and Rehabilitation
- Prof. Giorgio Ferriero, Editor-in-Chief European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
- Prof. Douglas Gross, Editor-in-Chief Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation
- Dr. Clare Ardern, Editor-in-Chief Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy
- Prof. Kristian Borg, Editor-in-Chief Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine
- Prof. Henk Stam, Editor-in-Chief Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine
- Prof. Deborah Falla, Editor-in-Chief of Musculoskeletal Science & Practice
- Prof. Randolph J. Nudo, Editor-in-Chief Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair
- Prof. Alan Jette, Editor emeritus Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Journal
Cochrane Groups
- Prof. Alex Todhunter-Brown, Cochrane Heart, Stroke and Circulation
- Dr. Francesco Nonino, Director Cochrane Italy
- Prof. Carsten Bogh Juhl, Cochrane Musculoskeletal Group
Patient and public representatives
- Gordon Rattray, public contributor
- Joseph P. O'Brien, Representative of National Scoliosis Foundation
- Jenny Clarke, Representative of SameYou
- Amy Verstappen, Co-Founder of Global Alliance for Rheumatic and Congenital Hearts
- Dr. Rita Roy, Chief Executive Officer of National Spine Health Foundation
- Nadia Malliou, President of Pain Alliance Europe
Founders
- Prof. Frane Grubišić, Croatia
- Prof. Elena Ilieva, Bulgaria
LMICs representatives
- Dr. Raju Dhakal, Nepal
- Dr. Abena Yeboaa Tannor, Ghana
- Dr. Farooq Azam Rathore, Pakistan
- Prof. Julia Patrick Engkasan, Malaysia
Experts
- Prof. Anne Cusick, Expert
- Prof. Andrew J. Haig, Expert
- Prof. Jianan Li, Expert
- Prof. Luz Helena Lugo, Expert
- Prof. Antti Malmivaara, Expert
- Prof. Peter Tugwell, Expert
- Prof. Derick Wade, Expert
Collaborators
- William Levack, methodology (New Zealand)
- Augusta Chiugo Okpara, social media (Italy)
- Alissar Melhem, social media (Syria)
- Beatrice E. A. Sankah, communication (Ghana)
Our partnerships
Journals
International Journals publishing Cochrane Corners according to an agreement signed between their Chief Editor, Cochrane Rehabilitation and Wiley.
- American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology
- European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
- International Journal of Rheumatic Disease
- Journal of Musculoskeletal and Neuronal Interactions
- Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine
- NeuroRehabilitation
National societies
National Societies are typically involved in education activities, in the translation process of Cochrane contents, and in other different activities
- Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP)
- Belgian Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Catalan Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Society
- Finnish Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
- French Society of Physiotherapy (SFP)
- German Society for Physical and Rehabilitative Medicine (DGPRM)
- Hellenic Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Society
- Hungarian Rehabilitation Society
- Indonesian Association of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PERDOSRI)
- Italian Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (SIMFER)
- Italian Society of Physiotherapy (SIF)
- Netherlands Society of Rehabilitation Medicine
- Romanian Society of Rehabilitation Medicine
- The Scientific Medical Alliance for Rehabilitation (WMAR)
- Slovenian Society for Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
- Turkish Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
What we do
Central to our mission is answering pressing clinical questions that are important to people with disabling conditions through high-quality research. This includes improving methodologies to enable a comprehensive view of functioning – a crucial health indicator supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) to complement mortality and morbidity, enriching our understanding of health outcomes.
Our Thematic Group is focused on improving the evidence in the field through methodological studies, knowledge translation activities, including dissemination, and the production of high-quality systematic reviews and overviews of reviews that synthesize the answers to the complex needs of individuals experiencing disabilities and requiring rehabilitation. The ultimate goal is to create a robust knowledge base to support effective rehabilitation and other healthcare interventions for individuals with various disabling health conditions and people with disabilities across all settings and phases of care, from acute to chronic.
Our work promotes global health equity and inclusion. It supports global initiatives, such as the WHO's Rehabilitation 2030, which emphasizes rehabilitation as an integral component of Universal Health Coverage and addresses the Sustainable Development Goals, as outlined in the 2023 World Health Assembly resolution on 'Strengthening rehabilitation in health systems'.
Through these efforts, we aim to enhance individual health outcomes and create a world where every individual, regardless of their abilities, has access to the rehabilitation interventions they need for a fulfilling life.
The activity of CochraneRehab is carried out through Working Groups. A single Unit is responsible for each Working Group. Working Groups include multiple activities.
- Cochrane Internal Affairs - Sydney
- Dissemination and Knowledge Translation - Antioquia University
- Education - Lucerne University
- Equity, Diversity & Inclusion - Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg
- Financing & Resources – Milan University
- Functioning in Cochrane - Lucerne University
- Methods - IDRR, OntarioTech University
- Strategic Partnerships - Galeazzi - Sant’Ambrogio Research Hospital
Our projects
Learn about our projects to improve research methodologies and bridge evidence gaps in rehabilitation, functioning, and disability.
Our publications
Explore our latest research including publications, methodological studies, evidence syntheses, and Cochrane corners.
Get involved
Keep in touch
You can read about news and events around our activity in our regular Cochrane Rehabilitation Newsletter.
You can also subscribe to the newsletter via this link.
Contact us
For more information about our work or to become involved with the Cochrane Thematic Group in Rehabilitation, Functioning and Disability, please get in touch: cochranerehab@unimi.it.
