David Ditor

Dr. David Ditor is a Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at Brock University's Faculty of Applied Health Sciences. He serves as the director of the Brock Functional Inclusive Training (Bfit) Centre's POWER CORD, a wheelchair-accessible exercise program that functions as both a research center and a community-based exercise facility for individuals in Niagara.

Dr. Ditor holds additional academic appointments as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster University and in the Department of Kinesiology & Health Science at York University. He is also an Affiliate Member in the Centre for Disability Studies (CADS) at Brock University and serves on the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation (ONF) Quality of Life for Persons with SCI Subcommittee and the Editorial board for Critical Reviews in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine.

His research program focuses on secondary health complications associated with spinal cord injury, with three primary emphases: chronic inflammation and its effects on physical and psychological outcomes, cardiovascular disease and dysfunction, and sexual function in both males and females. Dr. Ditor has published extensively on these topics in high-impact journals including Spinal Cord, Journal of Neuroinflammation, and Neurology.

• Spinal cord injury rehabilitation
• Exercise physiology for neurological populations
• Chronic inflammation and systemic effects
• Cardiovascular dysfunction in spinal cord injury
• Sexual health following neurological injury
• Body image and psychological outcomes
• Secondary complications of disability

Dr. Ditor is the co-inventor of the anti-contracture elevating (ACE)-wheelchair leg rests, a patented device that attaches to any manual wheelchair to improve range of motion at the knee while reducing lower limb spasticity and edema in chronic wheelchair users. This innovation represents a practical application of his research to address common complications faced by individuals with mobility impairments.

As director of the POWER CORD program, Dr. Ditor oversees evidence-based exercise interventions specifically designed for individuals with spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and amputees. This initiative bridges the gap between research and community application, providing accessible rehabilitation services while simultaneously advancing scientific understanding of exercise interventions for neurological conditions.