According to the National Institute of Health (https://clinicalcenter.nih.gov/rmd/pt/index.html), the goal of physical therapy is to restore or maintain sensory and motor abilities for patients who have functional impairments. Patients with a wide-spectrum of diseases and conditions can be benefited by engaging in physical rehabilitation prescribed by a certified physical therapist. Before a physical therapy can develop a plan of care, a thorough examination and evaluation of the patient's function levels are usually performed [395], which include the assessment of musculoskeletal functions, neuromuscular functions, cardiovascular and pulmonary metrics, integumentary status, communication ability, affect, and language levels, and cognitive ability.

Physical rehabilitation is one of the specializations in the larger scope of rehabilitation, as shown in Figure 11.1. In this part of the book, we will be covering occupational rehabilitation, pulmonary rehabilitation, cognitive rehabilitation, speech and language rehabilitation, and mental health rehabilitation. Among them, occupational rehabilitation has the broadest scope and it overlaps with physical and pulmonary rehabilitation (such as for the ability of walk and engage in activities of daily living), speech and language rehabilitation (such as for the ability to work and interact with others socially), cognitive rehabilitation (such as for the ability to engage in complex instrumental activities of daily living), and mental health rehabilitation (such as the ability to engage in normal social interaction). Cognitive rehabilitation and mental health rehabilitation also have overlap.

Chapter Contents:

• 11.1 Framework for physical rehabilitation
• 11.2 Motor control and motor learning
• 11.3 Interventions for improve motor function
• 11.4 Technology in physical rehabilitation
• 11.4.1 Augmented reality in physical rehabilitation
• 11.4.2 Smartphone use in physical rehabilitation

Inspec keywords: occupational health; health care; biomechanics; occupational safety; patient rehabilitation; cognition; patient treatment; medical disorders; diseases

Other keywords: technology-facilitated physical rehabilitation; pulmonary metrics; sensory motor abilities; language rehabilitation; physical therapy; pulmonary rehabilitation; cognitive rehabilitation; occupational rehabilitation; functional impairments; musculoskeletal functions; neuromuscular functions; cardiovascular metrics; mental health rehabilitation

Subjects: Patient care and treatment; Computer assistance for persons with handicaps; Patient care and treatment