Rehabilitative, technical and collaborative support is given to NIH institutes or centers and Clinical Center physicians. Selection of outcome measures pertaining to performance and function are often recommended. Function implies physical, vocational and psychosocial activities.

Current research studies utilizing physicians from Rehabilitation Medicine at the NIH Clinical Center involve patients of all ages and represent 13 NIH institutes. Examples of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation ongoing research are:

• Evaluation of impairments and disabilities in patients with alkaptonuria

• Measurement of recovery of arm function following stroke in patients receiving treatment to the affected limb with or without immobilization of the unaffected limb

• Assessment of muscle strength in patients with dermatomyositis or polymyositis on a variety of treatments

• Evaluation of the posterior tibialis tendon using 3-D reconstruction of the MRI

• Evaluation, conservative management and monitoring of patients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type 1

• Evaluation and conservative management of avascular necrosis of the hip in patients with HIV disease

• Evaluation of the late effects of treatment in survivors of pediatric sarcoma

• Evaluation of impairment and disabilities in patients with McCune Albright Syndrome

• Evaluation of pamidronate in children with osteogenesis imperfecta

• Assessment of impairments and function in inflammatory myositus in patients on a variety of treatments

• Evaluation of impairments and disabilities in patients with neonatal onset multi-system inflammatory disease (NOMID) undergoing treatment