Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Also Called Physiatry, Helps Restore Function

Physical medicine and rehabilitation, or physiatry, aims to enhance and restore functional ability and quality of life to those with physical impairments or disabilities affecting the brain, spinal cord, nerves, bones, joints, ligaments, muscles and tendons.

Unlike other medical specialists who focus on a medical cure, the goals of the physiatrist are to maximize patients’ independence in activities of daily living and improve quality of life, often without surgery or after a surgery.

Physiatrists are experts in designing comprehensive, patient-centered treatment plans. They utilize leading-edge as well as time-tested treatments to maximize function and quality of life for their patients, who can range in age from infants to octogenarians. Physiatrists have a broad range of knowledge including of the musculoskeletal, neurological, rheumatological and cardiovascular systems.

At Penn Highlands Healthcare, physiatrists are integral members of the care team at The Rehabilitation Center Inpatient Unit and The Orthopedic Center.