| What is Physical Rehabilitation? | | | | Without rehabilitation, these individuals would need to |
| Physical rehabilitation medicine is the treatment of | | | | be cared for the rest of their lives. The cost of |
| disorders that have caused either temporary or | | | | rehabilitation is small compared to the costs of lifelong |
| permanent disability. Rehabilitation usually involves the | | | | care. |
| neurological, muscuoskelatal, cardiovascular and | | | | More than two million people in the U. S. suffer strokes |
| pulmonary systems with the goal being restoring | | | | every year costing nearly $30 Billion in direct and |
| function of the affected physical systems. | | | | indirect costs. The 67 percent who survive undergo |
| Who may Need Physical Rehabilitation? | | | | rehabilitation to help them regain functionality and |
| People recommended for physical rehabilitation | | | | independence. Although rehabilitation cannot reverse |
| treatment include all ages, all socioeconomic strata and | | | | brain damage, rehabilitation helps stroke survivors |
| all races and ethnic groups. Physical rehabilitation is | | | | relearn skills such as speech, motor control and urinary |
| effective for: | | | | or bowel continence. To help stroke survivors make |
| - Spinal cord injury victims | | | | the greatest amount of progress, rehabilitation usually |
| - Professional athletes | | | | begins 24-48 hours following the stroke. |
| - Weekend warrior (occasional athletes) | | | | With as many as 8.9 Americans have a history of |
| - Employees with work-related injuries | | | | cancer, 2 million brain injuries, 15,000 spinal cord injuries, |
| - Infants with birth defects | | | | 4 million on-the-job injuries and 100,000 automobile |
| - Arthritis patients | | | | injuries annually, rehabilitation will become even more |
| - Auto-accident victims | | | | important. |
| - Osteoporosis patients | | | | Who Directs or Coordinates Physical Rehabilitation? |
| - Amputees | | | | An interdisciplinary rehabilitation team usually has the |
| - Incontinence patients | | | | responsibility of assessing the injury or disorder, |
| - Stroke victims | | | | designing a rehabilitation plan and working one-on-one |
| - Cancer survivors | | | | with each patient. The rehabilitation team may consist |
| - Scoliosis patients | | | | of a physician specializing in physical medicine and |
| - Drug overdose survivors | | | | physical rehabilitation (a physiatrist), a chiropractor, |
| - Elderly adults with a broken hip | | | | rehabilitation nurses, a physical therapist, a massage |
| - Agricultural accident victims | | | | therapist, an occupational therapist, a vocational |
| - Multiple Sclerosis patients | | | | rehabilitation therapist and a speech pathologist. The |
| - ALS patients | | | | rehabilitation team members work with patients until |
| - Patients recovering from surgery | | | | maximum function is attained. They may also |
| - Brain injury patients | | | | periodically evaluate patients after rehabilitation is |
| - Gun shot victims | | | | complete and recommend additional therapy. |
| - Heart attack patients | | | | How does the Physical Rehabilitation Process Work? |
| - Accidental poisoning victims | | | | Physical rehabilitation methods differ widely with the |
| - Teens with sprained ankles | | | | specific injury or disorder. Rehabilitation may require |
| - Suffers of chronic back pain | | | | prescription medications, specially prescribed mobility |
| - Cerebral palsy patients | | | | equipment, such as wheelchairs or walkers, leg braces |
| - Workers with carpel tunnel syndrome | | | | or even a prosthetic limb. Rehabilitation may also |
| Why is Physical Rehabilitation Important? | | | | require techniques including massage, heat or cold |
| Costs for on-the-job muscuoskelatal injuries continue | | | | therapy, biofeedback, electrotherapy, traction and |
| to rise, despite improving safety statistics. The average | | | | rehabilitation exercises. |
| cost for an injury claim has surpassed $25,000 while a | | | | For spinal cord injury, head trauma and stroke, patients |
| few claims cost 10-100 times the average. Companies | | | | may also need mental as well as physical rehabilitation. |
| look to rehabilitation team experts for cost-effect | | | | Psychological, neurological, social and behavioral |
| methods of returning good workers back to productive | | | | therapy may be added to the regimen of rehabilitation. |
| jobs. | | | | Is Physical Rehabilitation Merely Exercises? |
| Rehabilitation professionals take a | | | | Physical rehabilitation is a multi-pronged approach to |
| moderately-to-severely impaired patient and through | | | | guiding patients to as high a functioning as possible. |
| specific therapies, return the individual to the highest | | | | Physical exercise is only one part of a rehabilitation |
| level of function and independence. Many individuals | | | | treatment plan. |
| return to lives that are essentially unchanged from | | | | It is always advisable to seek advice of a doctor, a |
| before the injury or disorder. Some patients, although | | | | chiropractor or a certified medical professional |
| they never return to pre-injury or pre-disease/disorder | | | | specializing in the field of physical rehabilitative therapy |
| status, are able to live independently, hold down | | | | prior to starting any physical regiment. |
| responsible jobs and have an excellent quality of life. | | | | |