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Overview of Rehabilitation

By

Zacharia Isaac

, MD, Brigham and Women's Hospital

Reviewed/Revised Dec 2023
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Rehabilitation services are needed by people who have lost the ability to function normally or have pain. Loss of function may be due to fracture Overview of Fractures A fracture is a crack or break in a bone. Most fractures result from force applied to a bone. Fractures usually result from injuries or overuse. The injured part hurts (especially when it is... read more Overview of Fractures , amputation, stroke Overview of Stroke A stroke occurs when an artery to the brain becomes blocked or ruptures, resulting in death of an area of brain tissue due to loss of its blood supply (cerebral infarction). Symptoms occur suddenly... read more or another neurologic disorder, traumatic brain injury Overview of Head Injuries Head injuries that involve the brain are particularly concerning. Common causes of head injuries include falls, motor vehicle crashes, assaults, and mishaps during sports and recreational activities... read more , sports injury Overview of Sports Injuries Sports injuries are common among athletes and other people who participate in sports. Certain injuries that are traditionally considered sports injuries can also occur in people who do not participate... read more , and/or musculoskeletal impairments from conditions such as arthritis Physical measures Osteoarthritis is a chronic disorder that causes damage to the cartilage and surrounding tissues and is characterized by pain, stiffness, and loss of function. Arthritis due to damage of joint... read more Physical measures , spinal cord injury Injuries of the Spinal Cord and Vertebrae A spinal cord injury is damage to the bundle of cells and nerves that carry incoming and outgoing messages between the brain and the rest of the body. Most spinal cord injuries result from motor... read more Injuries of the Spinal Cord and Vertebrae , heart or lung disorders, chronic pain Chronic Pain Chronic pain is pain that lasts or recurs for months or years. Usually, pain is considered chronic if it does one of the following: Lasts for more than 3 months Lasts for more than 1 month after... read more , or being very weak (for example, after having some disorders and surgical procedures).

The need for rehabilitation crosses all age groups, although the type, level, and goals of rehabilitation often differ by age. People with chronic impairments, often older people, have different goals than do younger people with a temporary impairment (such as that due to a fracture or burn). For example, the goal of an older person who has severe heart failure Heart Failure (HF) Heart failure is a disorder in which the heart is unable to keep up with the demands of the body, leading to reduced blood flow, back-up (congestion) of blood in the veins and lungs, and/or... read more Heart Failure (HF) and has had a stroke Overview of Stroke A stroke occurs when an artery to the brain becomes blocked or ruptures, resulting in death of an area of brain tissue due to loss of its blood supply (cerebral infarction). Symptoms occur suddenly... read more may be to regain the ability to do as many self-care activities—such as eating, dressing, bathing, transferring between a bed and a chair, using the toilet, and controlling bladder and bowel function—as possible. The goal of a younger person who has had a fracture is often to regain all functions as quickly as possible and participate in vigorous physical activities. Although age alone is not a reason to alter goals or the intensity of rehabilitation, the presence of other disorders or baseline limitations may be.

Did You Know...

  • After a major disorder, injury, or surgical procedure, people should follow the recommended rehabilitation program if they want to recover as fully and rapidly as possible.

  • Rehabilitation can be done in a doctor’s office or at home as well as in rehabilitation centers.

To initiate a formal rehabilitation program, a doctor writes a referral (similar to a prescription) to a physiatrist (a doctor who specializes in rehabilitation medicine), an occupational or physical therapist, or a rehabilitation center. The referral establishes the goals of therapy, a description of the type of illness or injury, and its date of onset. The referral also specifies the type of therapy needed, such as ambulation training (help with walking) or training in activities of daily living. The therapist may modify these goals in consultation with the referring doctor based on the person's response to the therapy. Relevant precautions, such as heart rate limits for people with heart disease, weight-bearing restrictions after fractures or because of poor bone density, or supervision requirements for people who are at risk for falling, may help guide the therapists' development of treatment plans.

Setting

Where rehabilitation takes place depends on the person's needs and capabilities. Many people recovering from injuries can receive outpatient rehabilitation treatment in a therapist's office. People with severe disabilities may need care in a hospital or inpatient rehabilitation center. In such settings, a rehabilitation team provides care. With the doctor or therapist, this team may include nurses, psychologists, social workers, speech pathologists (who evaluate speech, language, and voice), audiologists (who evaluate hearing), other health care professionals, and family members. A team approach is best because significant loss of function can lead to other issues, such as

Care at home can be appropriate for people who cannot travel easily but who require less care, such as those who can transfer from bed to a chair or from a chair to a toilet. Rehabilitation at home is often used after knee replacement surgery, after a fall, or for people who are homebound due to chronic illness. However, family members or friends must be willing to participate in the rehabilitation process. Providing rehabilitation at home with the help of family members is highly desirable, but it can be physically and emotionally taxing for all involved. Sometimes a visiting physical therapist or occupational therapist can help with home care.

Many nursing homes have less intensive rehabilitation programs than rehabilitation centers. Less intensive programs are better suited to people less able to tolerate therapy, such as frail or older people.

Goals

The rehabilitation team or therapist sets both short-term and long-term goals for each problem. For example, a person with a hand injury may have restricted range of motion and weakness. The short-term goals may be to increase the range of motion by a certain amount and to increase grip strength by so many pounds. The long-term goal may be to play the piano again. Short-term goals are set to provide an immediate, achievable target. Long-term goals are set to help people understand what they can expect from rehabilitation and where they can expect to be in several months. People are encouraged to achieve each short-term goal, and the team closely monitors the progress. The goals may be changed if people become unwilling or unable (financially or otherwise) to continue or if they progress more slowly or quickly than expected.

In many situations, the goals are to help people walk again and to enable them to do the daily activities they need to do (such as dressing, grooming, bathing, feeding themselves, cooking, and shopping).

Regardless of the severity of the disability or the skill of the rehabilitation team, the final outcome of rehabilitation depends on the person's motivation. Some people delay recovery to gain attention from family members or friends.

Spotlight On Aging: Rehabilitation

Nonetheless, age alone is not a reason to postpone or deny rehabilitation.

Older people may recover more slowly. Consequently, programs designed specifically for older people are preferable. Older people often have different goals and need different types of care than do younger people. When older people are in programs designed for them, they are less likely to compare their progress with that of younger people and to become discouraged.

NOTE: This is the Consumer Version. DOCTORS: VIEW PROFESSIONAL VERSION
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