UW Department of Rehabilitation Medicine

06/03/2026

Seattle father and former teacher Jesse Hagopian has lived with long COVID for years, facing dizziness, brain fog, and depression.

In a KOMO News story, Dr. Lindsey Knowles at UW Medicine shares how patients like Hagopian can pace activity, manage symptoms, and communicate their needs — and reminds others they’re not alone.

Jesse Hagopian meets a lot of people through a computer screen these days. The former Garfield High School teacher, musician, coach and father of two is one of

06/02/2026

“People call physical activity ‘the magic pill,’” says Dr. Cindy Lin. “We know that it reduces the risk of over a dozen types of cancers; we know that it’s important in preventing and treating diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.”

To make it easier to get active, Dr. Lin and colleagues across the UW collaborated on an app, ExerciseRX, that helps doctors prescribe and track physical activity.

Enter the ExerciseRx app.

06/01/2026

It's beautiful out there! If you are thinking of using the longer days to get back to an exercise routine, check out these tips in Right as Rain from Dr. Mark Harrast on how to get going safely and enjoyably:

Step 1: Be realistic.

05/29/2026

If, like Pete Seeger sang, “my get up and go has got up and went,” it may be time to look into strength training.

Joseph Ihm, MD, professor of clinical practice in rehabilitation medicine at the UW School of Medicine, says how quickly you can get up from a chair is an important measure of health. The good news: strength training can help at any age.

Read more in Right as Rain:

Consistency.

05/28/2026

Stroke recovery may get a boost from paired vagus nerve stimulation, a therapy designed to improve movement during rehabilitation. A collaborative team from the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at UW Medicine and the UW Medicine Neurosciences Institute is exploring how it can help patients.

Nicole Mazwi, MD, associate professor of rehabilitation medicine at the UW School of Medicine and director of stroke rehabilitation, says, “We’ve seen essential functional activities become possible for patients who have undergone VNS therapy.”

Read more from UW Medicine Neurosciences Institute: https://neurosurgery.uw.edu/news-and-resources/paired-vns-therapy-enhances-movement-stroke-patients

05/27/2026

Could simple strength tests predict longevity? New research points to grip strength and chair stands as key indicators. Rachel Prusynski, PhD, DPT, associate professor of rehabilitation medicine at the UW School of Medicine, explains why strength is key to aging well.
Learn more in Prevention:

Here, fitness experts break down the new research.

05/26/2026

On May 4, Janna Friedly, MD, MPH, professor and chair of Rehabilitation Medicine, appeared on the City Cast Seattle podcast to talk about how long COVID is still here and how to recognize the symptoms:

Long Covid Is Still Here, Journalists Threatening To Strike, and Seattle Schools’ New Cell Phone ...

05/25/2026

Second-year MPO student Dawson Breyer participated in the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association Policy Forum in Washington, D.C., on April 13-14. Selected by his peers, Breyer met with policymakers and legislative representatives from Washington and North Dakota to discuss key priorities for the orthotics and prosthetics profession.
Read more: https://ow.ly/VUNH50YXT4x

05/23/2026

Congratulations to Jessica Lo, MD, a first-year physical medicine and rehabilitation resident, who received the 2026 Most Cited Original Research Award from the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Lo’s article received the highest number of citations.
Read more: https://ow.ly/VEPE50YXT3p

05/22/2026

Acting Assistant Professor Erin G. Mistretta, PhD, received an $819,914, K23 Career Development Award from the NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. This five-year award supports Mistretta’s research, which focuses on understanding and improving how people with multiple sclerosis engage with mindfulness practice as part of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy.
Read more: https://ow.ly/qUx550YXT1N