[ARTICLE] Principles of rehabilitation of patients with neurologic disorders – Full Text PDF

Introduction

Overview

In this article, the authors focus on rehabilitation of patients with acquired brain injury from both traumatic and nontraumatic causes. Rehabilitative strategies include both restorative therapies that serve to regain function and compensatory strategies that allow for compensation of lost function. Rehabilitation can occur in both inpatient and outpatient settings and involves multiple providers, including physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speechlanguage pathologists. This review will focus on the functional impairments that arise from acquired brain injury and the role of rehabilitative strategies to enhance neurologic recovery and improved functional outcomes.

Key points

• Acquired brain injury is a leading cause of disability in the United States.
• Neuroplasticity refers to reorganization of neural connections to allow for functional recovery after acquired brain injury.
• Early rehabilitation is important for neuroplasticity and improved neurologic recovery, and task-specific therapies are the most effective.
• Compensatory strategies can be particularly helpful for the rehabilitation of patients with dysphagia, visual impairments, and neglect.

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