What is musculoskeletal rehabilitation?
A musculoskeletal rehab program involves a team of health care providers. They work with people who have disabilities from health problems. They also can help with injuries to muscles, tendons, ligaments, or bones. These programs can often improve function and reduce symptoms. They can also improve well-being.
What conditions can benefit from musculoskeletal rehab?
Rehab may help people who have these conditions or injuries:
- Amputation.
- Tendon tears. These include Achilles tendon injuries and tears of the rotator cuff in the shoulder.
- Trauma injuries. These include sprains, strains, joint dislocations, and breaks (fractures).
- Back pain.
- Osteoporosis.
- Arthritis.
- Bone tumors.
- Repetitive stress injuries, such as tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Joint injury and replacement.
The musculoskeletal rehab team
These programs can be done inpatient or outpatient. The rehab team may include providers such as:
- Orthopedist or orthopedic surgeon.
- Neurologist or neurosurgeon.
- Physiatrist.
- Internist.
- Other specialty providers.
- Rehab specialists.
- Registered dietitian.
- Physical therapist.
- Occupational therapist.
- Social worker.
- Exercise physiologist.
- Psychologist or psychiatrist.
- Recreational therapist.
- Case manager.
- Chaplain.
- Vocational counselor.
The musculoskeletal rehab program
The program is designed to meet the needs of each person. What rehab is needed depends on their injury or disease. It's vital that both the person and their family are involved.
The goal is to help the person return to the highest level of function and independence possible. It's also to improve their quality of life. This includes their physical, emotional, and social life.
Programs may include:
- Fitting and care for casts, braces, and splints (orthoses), or artificial limbs (prostheses).
- Exercise programs to improve range of motion. They also can increase muscle strength, improve flexibility and mobility, and increase endurance.
- Gait (walking) retraining and safely using a walker, cane, or crutch.
- Help with buying assistive devices. These help with independence.
- Patient and family education and counseling.
- Pain management.
- Stress management and emotional support.
- Nutritional counseling.
- Ergonomic assessments and preventing work-related injury.
- Vocational counseling.
