Rehabilitation therapy is an important part of healthcare, providing a range of benefits for those with acute or chronic conditions, disabilities, or injuries. It can help restore mobility and complete the healing process after an injury or surgery, as well as reduce, control, or prevent complications associated with many health problems. Physical therapy is also a very useful tool for managing chronic diseases, such as arthritis. It can help increase blood flow, which helps vital organs (heart, lungs, muscles), and can help speed healing.
Rehabilitation can be provided in many different settings, from inpatient or outpatient hospital settings to private clinics or community settings, such as a person's home. The primary goal of physical therapy is to restore function and return to activity, but these things are often a byproduct of the broader rehabilitation process. During this process, many patients learn a whole new way of moving. Not everyone likes physical therapy, however; sometimes people choose surgery because they think it's a faster and more effective method of treating their conditions. But one of the main reasons physical therapy is important is because it is an effective and less invasive method of treatment. To learn more about the benefits of physical therapy, a person should talk to a physical therapist or other health professional.
For example, your first session may include passive range-of-motion exercises, when the therapist moves the joint for you, and a series of treatments that relieve muscle tension and promote circulation, such as therapeutic massage. If you get care at home, you'll need to have family or friends who can come and help with your rehabilitation. Licensed physical therapists work in a variety of healthcare settings, including outpatient offices, private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, home health, sports and fitness centers, schools, hospices, occupational settings, agencies government and research centers. Rehabilitation is an important part of universal health coverage and is a key strategy to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3: “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages”. Globally, around 2.4 billion people are currently living with a health condition that benefits from rehabilitation. However, more than half of people living in some low- and middle-income countries who require rehabilitation services do not receive them. For rehabilitation to reach its full potential, efforts must be directed towards strengthening the health system as a whole and making rehabilitation part of health care at all levels of the health system and as part of universal health coverage.
With changes taking place in the health and characteristics of the population around the world, this estimated need for rehabilitation will only increase in the coming years. Burke's Rehab Insights blog aims to provide general information on rehabilitation and other healthcare topics. For the full social, economic and health benefits of rehabilitation to be realized, timely, high-quality and affordable rehabilitation interventions must be available to all.
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