
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), also known as physiatry, is a medical specialty that involves the process of restoring lost abilities for a person who has been disabled as a result of disease, disorder, or injury. The musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and central nervous systems are most often involved.
Using a multidisciplinary approach, PM&R covers everything from cardiac rehabilitation to pain management. PM&R can be used to retrain a person on the basics of daily living, or may be used to help an elderly person recover from a fall.
Regardless of what caused the disability, rehabilitation specialists work to restore maximum function and quality of life for the patient - at home, in the workplace, and in the community.
Online Editor:
Andrew Bailey RN BSN M.Ed.
Online Editor:
Sara Foster RN MPH
Online Medical Reviewer:
Daphne Pierce-Smith MSN FNP RN CCRC
Online Medical Reviewer:
Joy Fincannon RN MN
Online Medical Reviewer:
Kelley Gaskin RN MN
Online Medical Reviewer:
Louise Akin RN BSN
Online Medical Reviewer:
Nancy Bowers RN MPH RN MPH
Online Medical Reviewer:
Sara Foster RN MPH
Online Medical Reviewer:
Lee Jenkins
Date Last Reviewed:
3/31/2009
Date Last Modified:
8/10/2004