Physiatry is derived from two Greek words namely: physikos which means physical, and iatreia which means the art of healing.  Rehabilitate, on the other hand, is taken from the Latin word “habilitas”, meaning “to make able. With this concept, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation is put up to facilitate healing of those people faced with traumas in life. 

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), or Physiatry, is a medical specialty that focuses on the restoration of a person’s normal functioning, which has been affected by a disease, disorder, or injury. These people need help in order for them to do the things they usually did before the disability. 

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation does not merely focus on helping a person reduce his disability, but it aims for the recovery of the whole person. This means that his emotional, medical, and social need are given due emphasis as well. 

It is necessary to know that Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation does not undo the impairment of a person, nor does it guarantee to fully restore one’s normal functions. It is, however, working towards helping a person reach the highest level of function by lessening his disability, preventing any complications, and teaching him self-reliance and independence. 

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation is strongly suggested in certain circumstances, like impairment and activity limitation. Impairment is basically losing the normal functions of a part, or some part, of the body due to injury or disease, such as paralysis to one side of the body due to a stroke. Activity limitation is the result of an impairment. A person not being able to walk properly as a result of paralysis is an example of an activity limitation. In both cases, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation would enable the person to live his life as close as possible to how it was lived before the impairment. 

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation prepares tailored treatment schemes for each individual, focusing on the degree of disability, the patient’s overall health status, and their possible response to the treatments. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation does not leave a person to do the treatment plan himself. It closely monitors his progress and ensures that a quality life is within reach. 

In fact, there are many success stories of individuals who were helped by Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Some of these persons with disabilities have continued to live productive lives despite the disability they went through. Some have gone to school, some found jobs, and others maintain the same social duties in the society. These are not results of medical surgery, but of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.