• Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Institute, located at 28th Street and Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis, is the leading rehabilitation provider in the region. The Institute is named after Sister Elizabeth Kenny, an Australian woman trained in nursing — the title "Sister" is used in British countries to designate a head nurse. Elizabeth Kenny’s work with polio patients and her pioneering principles of muscle rehabilitation helped lay the foundation for modern physical therapy.

  The original Sister Kenny Institute opened in December 1942 in Minneapolis. Today, the Institute provides rehabilitative services to treat any short- and long-term condition or disability at:

  • five Minnesota hospitals owned by Allina Hospitals & Clinics, including:
    • Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis
    • United Hospital in St. Paul
    • Unity Hospital in Fridley
    • Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids
    • Buffalo Hospital in Buffalo many community-based Sister Kenny Sports & Physical Therapy Centers located throughout the Twin Cities metro area
  • More than 70,000 patients receive care at Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Institute each year. Our compassionate, experienced and specially-trained team works together to help patients achieve their personal best.

Programs and Services

Inpatient Rehabilitation
Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Institute’s two inpatient rehabilitation units are located at:

• Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis (38 beds)
• United Hospital in St. Paul (16 beds)