physical medicine and rehabilitation

noun

: a medical specialty concerned with preventing, diagnosing, and treating disabling diseases, disorders, and injuries by physical means (as by the use of electrotherapy, therapeutic exercise, or pharmaceutical pain control)

called also physiatry, physical medicine

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Since April, she’s gone to the Non-Surgical Center of Texas, a physical medicine and rehabilitation clinic in San Antonio where Barnett and other therapists massage Campbell’s wrist, arm and shoulder to help strengthen her hand and arm muscles. —

René A. Guzman, ExpressNews.com, 15 June 2020 Paridy said the hospital has the largest research portfolio for a physical medicine and rehabilitation hospital in the world. —

Shanzeh Ahmad, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2022 Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Gonzaba Medical Group has started construction on an 11,120-square-foot physical medicine and rehabilitation center near its main medical campus on Pleasanton Road. —

Laura Garcia, San Antonio Express-News, 6 June 2022 As omicron wave wanes:Cincinnati area hospitals reschedule surgeries delayed by COVID-19 Specialty care services will include cardiology, gastroenterology, general surgery, ENT, physical medicine and rehabilitation, orthopedics and obstetrics. —

Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 4 Mar. 2022 Venus notes that physicians specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation (also called physiatrists) work closely with physical and occupational therapists to collaboratively manage spasticity across multiple diagnoses. —

Sara Lindberg, SELF, 10 Feb. 2022 Smith resolved to learn more about the field of physiatry, or physical medicine and rehabilitation, taking a four-week elective rotation at Chicago’s Rehabilitation Institute. —

Bob Goldsborough, chicagotribune.com, 8 Sep. 2021 UT Southwestern’s clinic is based in the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation. —

Dallas News, 13 Aug. 2021 Smith, an expert in physical medicine and rehabilitation, alleged in his complaint that he was abruptly fired in January after complaining about racially insensitive remarks overheard on a Zoom call. —

Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2021 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'physical medicine and rehabilitation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

1939, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of physical medicine and rehabilitation was in 1939

See more words from the same year

Dictionary Entries Near physical medicine and rehabilitation

physical medicine

physical medicine and rehabilitation

physical metallurgy

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Physical medicine and rehabilitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/physical%20medicine%20and%20rehabilitation. Accessed 25 Mar. 2023.

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Medical Definition

physical medicine and rehabilitation

noun

: 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