Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation: Restoring Strength and Freedom to the Body

 By: Dhyan Patel

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Note: This article is part of a student-run educational series on medical specialties, based on research and/or shadowing (in person or virtual), in order to educate other students who are interested in healthcare careers and may lack the ability to shadow specialists in their areas.

Background

Whenever someone suffers a spinal cord injury or a severe injury from an accident, recovery can feel like a challenging process. Regaining the strength, movement, and confidence takes more than just medicine, it takes a plan. That’s where physicians in physical medicine and rehabilitation, also known as physiatrists, come in.


Physiatrists are doctors who specialize in helping patients restore their function and improve their quality of life after an injury, illness, or disability. They don’t just focus on what’s broken or injured, but they focus on what’s possible. Their mission is to help people move and live their lives once again, no matter what their limitations are.

So, what do they do?

Physiatrists treat a wide range of conditions that affect the brain, spinal cord, nerves, bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons. Their goal is to improve a person’s ability to function and reduce pain without relying on surgery.


Some common conditions that are treated by physiatrists include:

  • Stroke, spinal cord, or brain injuries

  • Back and neck pain

  • Sports injuries

  • Arthritis and joint problems

  • Neuromuscular disorders

  • Amputations and prosthetic training

  • Chronic pain conditions.


Rather than just focusing on a specific organ or disease, physiatrists look at the whole person. They look at their physical abilities, emotional wellbeing, and their goals. They often work with their patients in order to develop a care plan which often includes physical therapy, occupational therapy, medication management, and the use of assistive devices like braces or wheelchairs. They often coordinate with teams of therapists, nurses, and other workers in order to help patients regain the ability to continue their daily abilities.

Additional Information

Physical medicine and rehabilitation combine various subjects such as anatomy, neuroscience, and biomechanics in order to help patients recover their function after an illness or injury. For example, when a stroke damages one side of the brain, a physiatrist may help retrain the body through targeted exercise that encourages the brain to form new connections (known as neuroplasticity).

Required education and training

Becoming a physiatrist requires as much dedication as it does for other careers in the medical field. After earning a bachelor’s degree and completing medical school, physiatrists must enter a four-year residency program in physical medicine and rehabilitation. During their residency they rotate through hospital wards, rehabilitation centers, and outpatient clinics where they gain experience with patients recovering from strokes, trauma, amputations, and even chronic pain.


Some physiatrists may choose to pursue fellowships in subspecialties that include, but are not limited to:

  • Sports medicine - treating athletic injuries

  • Pediatric Rehabilitation - helping children with development or neuromuscular conditions

  • Pain medicine - managing chronic pain using non-surgical methods

Importance

For many patients, regaining the skills they are no longer able to perform after trauma or illness can truly be significant. Physiatrists help them rediscover and perform their skills. These skills can range from walking and playing to working and simply living without any pain. Physiatrists are one of the most vital types of doctors that help deal with common chronic conditions and injuries.

References

Aapm&r. (2024). Conditions & Treatments. Www.aapmr.org. https://www.aapmr.org/about-physiatry/conditions-treatments

Aapm&r. (2024). What Types of Treatments and Procedures Do Physiatrists Perform. Www.aapmr.org. https://www.aapmr.org/career-support/medical-student-resources/a-medical-students-guide-to-pm-r/what-types-of-treatments-and-procedures-do-physiatrists-perform

ABPMR - Subspecialty Certification Overview. (2025). Abpmr.org. https://www.abpmr.org/Subspecialties#:~:text=A%20medical%20expert%2C%20like%20a%20doctor%2C%20is,**Spinal%20Cord%20Injury%20Medicine**%20*%20**Sports%20Medicine**

Cleveland Clinic. (2024, July 11). What Is a Physiatrist? Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/physiatrist

Mayo Clinic Health System. (2019, November 13). What is physical medicine and rehabilitation? Mayo Clinic Health System. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/what-is-physical-medicine-and-rehabilitation

Medschoolcoach. (2021, January 19). Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation with Dr. Cara Thomas - Virtual Pre-Med Education by MedSchoolCoach. Virtual Pre-Med Education by MedSchoolCoach. https://shadowing.medschoolcoach.com/lessons/physical-medicine-and-rehabilitation-with-dr-cara-thomas/

Press, J. M. (2018, May 22). What Is a Physiatrist? Hospital for Special Surgery. https://www.hss.edu/health-library/conditions-and-treatments/what-is-a-physiatrist

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