physical medicine and rehabilitation

physical medicine and rehabilitation

noun

Definition of PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION

: a medical specialty concerned with treating disabling disorders and injuries by physical means (as by the use of electrotherapy, therapeutic exercise, or pharmaceutical pain control) —called also physiatry, physical medicine

First Known Use of PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION

1939

physical medicine and rehabilitation

noun    (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION

: a medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of disabling diseases, disorders, and injuries typically of a musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, neuromuscular, or neurological nature by physical means (as by the use of electromyography, electrotherapy, therapeutic exercise, or pharmaceutical pain control)—called also physiatrics, physiatry, physical medicine

physical medicine and rehabilitation

   (Concise Encyclopedia)

Medical specialty treating chronic disabilities through physical means to help patients return to a comfortable, productive life despite a medical problem. Its objectives are pain relief, functional improvement or maintenance, training in essential activities, and functional testing of areas such as strength, mobility, breathing capacity, and coordination. Physical medicine may use diathermy, hydrotherapy, massage, exercise, and functional training. The last can mean learning to work with a guide dog or a prosthesis or learning new ways to carry out everyday activities with a limb missing, sometimes by using assistive devices. Physician specialists head rehabilitation teams including a physical therapist, rehabilitation engineer, rehabilitation nurse, psychological counselor, and sometimes a respiratory or speech therapist. See also occupational therapy; orthopedics.

Variants of PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION

physical medicine and rehabilitation or physiatry or physical therapy or rehabilitation medicine