Wilson, Richard, MD

Dr. Richard Wilson is a board-certified physiatrist with over 20 years of clinical and research experience specializing in post-stroke rehabilitation, neurological recovery, and the clinical application of peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) for pain and motor dysfunction.

Dr. Wilson’s research emphasizes not only functional improvement but also economic evaluation of rehabilitative care and the association between policy and rehabilitation outcomes. He has contributed as PI or co-investigator to multiple randomized controlled trials comparing electrical stimulation modalities for upper limb recovery and pain management after stroke, and is committed to ensuring that effective interventions reach the patients who need them most.

He is widely recognized for his rigorous clinical trial work evaluating the efficacy of PNS for hemiplegic shoulder pain — one of the most common and debilitating complications of stroke — and for his leadership in translating PNS to non-stroke chronic pain syndromes. He has been recognized annually in Castle Connolly’s America’s Top Doctors (2017–2025) and Cleveland Magazine’s Cleveland Top Docs.

RESEARCH PROGRAMS

• Functional Electrical Stimulation for stroke rehabilitation
• Peripheral nerve stimulation for hemiplegic shoulder pain and non-stroke chronic pain
• Contralaterally Controlled Functional Electrical Stimulation (CCFES) for upper limb recovery
• Large database analysis of rehabilitation outcomes and health policy
• Economic evaluation of rehabilitative care

MAJOR PROJECTS & FUNDING

• PI on randomized controlled trial comparing PNS to usual care for chronic hemiplegic shoulder pain; demonstrated superior and sustained pain reduction with PNS
• PI on peripheral nerve stimulation for subacromial impingement syndrome; first case series demonstrating PNS efficacy and central sensitization modulation in a non-stroke population
• Co-investigator on multisite randomized controlled trial of CCFES for upper extremity recovery following stroke, demonstrating durable improvements in hand dexterity
• NIH-Funded Research, Co-investigator on trial comparing EMG-triggered, cyclic, and sensory electrical stimulation for upper limb recovery after stroke
• NIH-Funded Research, co-investigator on peroneal nerve stimulator vs. ankle foot orthosis in hemiparetic gait

HONORS & RECOGNITION

• Ernest W. Johnson Excellence in Research Writing In-Training Award (for trainee), Association of Academic Physiatrists, 2014
• Castle Connolly America’s Top Doctors, 2017–2025
• Cleveland Magazine Cleveland’s Top Docs