Physical Rehabilitation at the Hospital

If you are in the hospital recovering from surgery, healing from an injury, or being treated for a disabling health problem, physical rehabilitation may be an important part of your treatment. Physical medicine and rehabilitation, or simply rehab, is a branch of medicine called physiatry.

Therapist manipulating the arm of an older man who is in the hospital

Physical therapy

You may need this type of treatment for any health problem that affects your nerves, muscles, bones, or brain and is causing you temporary or permanent disability. Healthcare providers who plan your treatment are called physiatrists. They work along with a team of other health experts, such as physical therapists.

Conditions treated with physical therapy in the hospital

Many health problems that cause pain or limit your ability to move normally may be helped by physical therapy. This type of rehab may be needed at the hospital before you go home or to an extended care facility. Here are some health problems that it may help:

Stroke. Stroke is a block or burst of the blood supply to the brain. The most important part of stroke recovery is early rehab that often starts right away in the hospital. Rehab can help you relearn how to manage daily activities. It can also help you get back lost function and prevent more damage.

Spine injury. Neck and back injuries need early treatment for the best results. Physical therapy and rehab for these injuries start as soon as possible at the hospital. They help limit more damage and shorten recovery time.

Pain. If you have severe pain in the hospital after an injury or an operation or because of a nerve or muscle problem, physical therapy may help ease your pain. It can also help you to better handle it.

Joint conditions. Joint problems can cause pain, stiffness, and limited movement. They may be treated with physical therapy in the hospital. Therapy can ease pain and improve range of movement. It can also teach you how to use your joints without causing more damage. Examples of these conditions are ankylosing spondylitis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout.

Other conditions. You might need physical rehab for cancer, heart disease, lung problems, an infected wound, an amputation, or a severe burn. You will also need it after joint replacement surgery.

What happens during rehab treatments

At the hospital, your physiatrist may talk with you, examine you, order special tests, and look at your health records. Then he or she will come up with a rehab treatment plan to fit your needs. A physical therapist (PT) may help you carry out your plan. A PT is trained in how to restore physical mobility and function after an injury or surgery. Other specialists may also be involved, such as occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, social workers, and psychologists.

Here are some of the ways these healthcare providers can help you:

Help you exercise and build up your muscles

Help you stretch your muscles to gain flexibility

Give you range of motion exercises to maintain or increase movement

Give you exercises and activities to help your coordination and balance

Teach you how to be safe when you leave the hospital

Teach you how to be independent when you leave the hospital

Improve healing by using massage, heat, cold, electric currents, or sound waves

Physical therapy is a crucial part of recovery from many health problems you may face in the hospital. In many cases, it is the start of a process that will continue after you leave the hospital. It may be done at an extended care facility. Or you may do it at an outpatient physical therapy department or at home.

You can improve your chances of recovery by learning as much as you can about your health problem. Also work closely with all the members of your rehab team.