Advanced Platform Technology Center
M. Kristi Henzel, MD, PhD
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Research Interests Understanding inadvertent lower extremity displacements from the footplates of wheelchairs Prevention of wheelchair-related lower-extremity injuries Prevention and treatment of chronic pressure injuries using electrotherapy with Dr. Kath Bogie Use of biomarkers to predict acute neural recovery and chronic complications after SCI/D |
Dr. M. Kristi Henzel is an Attending Physiatrist and Assistant Chief for the Spinal Cord Injury & Diseases (SCI/D) Service at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center (LSCVAMC).
She also is an Associate Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and serves as the VA Site Director for the CWRU/MetroHealth SCI Medicine Fellowship.
Dr. Henzel is an Investigator with the Advanced Platform Technology (APT) Center at LSCVAMC and leads the WhIRRL group, as well as contributing her clinical expertise as a Team Scientist to projects of other APTC Investigators and outside SCI/D researchers.
Dr. Henzel can be reached by phone at 216-791-3800 x63658 or by email at mary.henzel@va.gov
Clinical Interests
Dr. Henzel is an expert in the management of chronic SCI/D with particular interest in medical management of SCI, wound care for chronic pressure injuries, autonomic dysreflexia, and sexuality after SCI.
Current Research
| Dr. Henzel leads the Wheelchair Injury Reduction Research Laboratory (WhIRRL), an interdisciplinary group of clinicians, engineers and computer scientists leveraging the power of consumer advocacy and team science to understand what happens to the lower limbs of people with paralysis during wheelchair mobility/ We develop smart technology to help avoid injuries if their limbs become displaced from their wheelchair footplates. This work came from our clinicians’ realization that people with spinal cord injuries, who can neither feel nor see nor controls their leg position, are prone to injury if their feet fall off their wheelchair footplates. |  |
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| We have patented a smart foot pressure and position system called FootSafe. We are using FootSafe along with motion capture technology to study how paralyzed legs and feet move during power wheelchair use and developing foot displacement detection algorithms using the power of machine learning. |  |
| Our long term goal is to develop and test a detection system to replace the missing sensory feedback which can help power wheelchair users with sensory loss prevent injuries caused by inadvertent lower extremity displacement from the footplates. |  |
| Meet the WhIRRL group | |
Active Funding
Paralyzed Veterans of America Research Foundation
- Device Development Grant: Insensate and Unprotected: Development & testing of FootSafe technology for prevention of injuries caused by inadvertent lower extremity displacements from wheelchair footplates in Veterans with SCI/D.
VHA Rehabilitation Research and Development
- Merit Review: Toward understanding mechanisms of inadvertent lower extremity displacements from wheelchair footplates in Veterans with SCI/D: Multi-modal evaluation of leg movements during power wheelchair use.
Patents
- Bogie KM, Henzel MK, Majerus SJ, Mitchell SJ. Smart foot position sensor for power wheelchair users, and systems and methods of using same. US patent 11,083,652. Issued August 10, 2021. European patent EP3606490. Issued August 9, 2023.
Selected Publications
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Henzel MK, Morris RP, Ferry S, Bogie KM. Insensate and unprotected: The importance of user-centered design in development of FootSafe mobile Health technology to protect the lower limbs of wheelchair users with spinal cord injury. International Spinal Cord Society. 62st Annual Scientific Meeting, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, 10/10/2023. |
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Ferry SM, Henzel MK, Bogie KM. An End-User’s Personal Perspective on the Need of Consumer Involvement in Research. J Gen Intern Med. 2022 Apr;37(Suppl 1):91-93. Epub 2022 Mar 29. |
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Majerus SJA, Ukwela J, Lerchbacker J, Bogie KM, Henzel MK. Development of Foot Displacement Detection Algorithm for Power Wheelchair Footplate Pressure and Positioning. Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2021 Nov;2021:7054-7057. |
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Whitford M, Mitchell SJ, Marzloff GE, Zindle JK, Richmond MA, Bogie KM, Henzel MK. Wheelchair Mobility-Related Injuries Due to Inadvertent Lower Extremity Displacement on Footplates: Analysis of the FDA MAUDE Database From 2014 to 2018. J Patient Saf. 2021 Dec 1;17(8):e1785-e1792. |
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Henzel MK, Mitchell SJ, Lerchbacker JA, Majerus SJM, Bogie KM. The case for active safety for power wheelchair users with spinal cord injury. Paper presented at: 2020 RESNA Virtual Conference. September 23-24, 2020. Pittsburgh, PA |
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Majerus SJA, Lerchbacker J, Barbaro D, Mitchell SJ, Bogie KM, Henzel MK. Power Wheelchair Footplate Pressure and Positioning Sensor. Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2018 Jul;2018:4367-4370. |
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Education
- Spinal Cord Injury Medicine Clinical Fellowship: MetroHealth Medical Center/Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
- Advanced Fellowship in Spinal Cord Injury Research, Lous Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH
- MD: University of Louisville, Louisville, KY
PhD: Physiology & Biophysics, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY - BE: Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
Editorial Activities
- Associate Editor, PM&R Journal,
Society and Membership
- Treasurer, Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals, 2025-27
- President, American Paraplegia Society (ASCIP physician/researcher section), 2024-26
- Member, American Spinal Injury Association
- Member, International Spinal Cord Society
Honors and Awards
- Rebecca “Becky” J. Adcock, PhD Award for Excellence in Mentoring, Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals, 2020
- Clinical Excellence Award for Medicine, Paralyzed Veterans of America, 2022
Helpful Links
Resources
- Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals, Inc.
- American Spinal Injury Association - The premier North American organization in the field of Spinal Cord Injury Care, Education, and Research
- International Spinal Cord Society
- International Seating Symposium
- Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA)
