Rebecca Smith
Papers
1
Total Citations
92
H-Index
1
About
Rebecca Smith is a leading researcher in neurorehabilitation, with a particular focus on locomotor recovery following spinal cord injury. Her work has fundamentally advanced our understanding of how task-specific training—particularly in aquatic environments—can promote functional gains even in chronic injury. Her most-cited study, "Task-specificity vs. ceiling effect: Step-training in shallow water after spinal cord injury" (2010, 92 citations), demonstrated that stepping in shallow water can overcome the plateau often seen in land-based therapy, challenging the prevailing assumption that recovery is limited by a "ceiling effect." This finding has reshaped clinical protocols, offering a low-impact, high-reward strategy for patients. Smith’s contributions are notable for bridging mechanistic insights with practical, accessible interventions. Her research continues to influence rehabilitation science, emphasizing that the environment of training is as critical as the training itself. With a citation record that underscores her work’s relevance to both basic science and applied therapy, Smith is recognized as a key voice in spinal cord injury recovery and task-specific motor learning.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
- 1