Motor Neuron Diseases
Definition A floppy infant, painless foot drop, and a paralyzed child are all potential manifestations of motor neuron disease (MND). Few diseases in medicine cause as much concern as these…
Degenerative Movement Disorders of the Central Nervous System
Neurodegenerative disorders, including movement disorders, are complex multisystem disorders characterized by abnormal protein aggregates that accumulate in select regions in the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems. Movement disorders are…
Rheumatologic Rehabilitation
Introduction to Rheumatic Diseases Rheumatic diseases manifest as painful conditions typically caused by inflammation, swelling, and pain in the joints or muscles. Because pain, swelling, and decline in functional status…
Chronic Pain
Historical Overview Pain Defined Pain is a subjective and entirely individually personal experience influenced by learning, context, and multiple psychosocial variables. Pain is not merely the end product of peripheral…
Pelvic Floor Disorders
Pelvic floor disorders are a wide-ranging group of potentially disabling, embarrassing, and often painful conditions that can greatly affect a person’s quality of life. The pelvic floor consists of the…
Upper Limb Pain and Dysfunction
“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” This statement is surely reflected in the upper limb. Through the complex interplay of neuromusculoskeletal elements in the upper limb,…
Therapeutic Exercise
General Principles Regular physical activity is an important component of a healthy lifestyle. Increases in physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness have been shown to reduce the risk for death from…
Manipulation, Traction, and Massage
The “laying on of hands” has been a diagnostic and therapeutic modality used since antiquity and has created a special bond between practitioner and patient. Over the millennia a multitude…
Cancer Rehabilitation
Cancer rehabilitation addresses physical impairments and progressive disablement experienced by patients with cancer. A majority of impairments are directly related to cancer or its treatment; however, many arise from coexistent…
