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Writer's pictureShruti GOCHHWAL

What Are The Different Types Of Rehabilitation?

Rehabilitation is to recover and restore from an injury and surgery. Learn the types of rehabilitation therapy.

What is Rehabilitation?

Rehabilitation therapies are done in a controlled, medical environment.

The goal of it is to help your body regain strength and find ways to perform activities that could otherwise be difficult.

There are different types of rehabilitation therapies. The common objective is to help the patient return to a healthy and active lifestyle.

Rehabilitation helps treat different injuries. The common ones are orthopedic, neurologic, and musculoskeletal injuries.  In some rare instances, genetic disease and degenerative diseases are also treated.

Depending on the need, the type of rehabilitation can be inpatient or outpatient. Inpatient rehabilitation services are the ones a person receives in a hospital following an amputation, brain injury or stroke, orthopedic and spinal injury.

Outpatient rehabilitation refers to the type of treatment like physical, occupational, and speech therapies. Outpatient rehabilitation helps to treat a variety of conditions like cancers, neurological disorders, neck and back pain, speech problems, psychological disorders, pre- and post-natal issues, and more.

What Are The Types Of Rehabilitation Therapies?

The types of rehabilitation therapies are

  1. Occupational Therapy

  2. Physical therapy

  3. Speech Therapy

  4. Respiratory therapy

  5. Cognitive Rehabilitation

  6. Vocational Rehabilitation


Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy

A therapist helping an old person in hand movements, Credits: pexels


People who find difficulties in performing everyday activities require the help of occupational therapists. “Occupation” refers to everyday tasks, recreational activities, and self-care practices.

An occupational therapist identifies the disability and helps a person to complete tasks like eating, dressing, and work-related activities. He can help modify the way a task is approached or help a person develop the necessary skills to accomplish a task.

Examples of Occupational Therapy

  1. Children with physical disabilities can get help from an occupational therapist to learn the coordination needed to perform tasks like using a computer and improving their handwriting.

  2. Seniors who encounter age-related physical problems may get the help of anoccupational therapist to approach the task in a modified way.

  3. Individuals who experienced a traumatic brain injury and have limited cognitive functions can get the help of an occupational therapist to complete their daily activities.


Physical Therapy

Physical therapy

A therapist giving physical therapy, Credits: pixabay


People who have pain and mobility issues require the help of physical therapists.

Physical therapy is used to relieve pain, provide rehabilitation after a stroke, injury, or surgery, and helps address sports-related injuries.

Examples of Physical Therapy

  1. Exercises and stretches to relieve pain, improve mobility, or regain strength.

  2. Massage, heat, and cold therapy to ease muscle pain and spasms.

  3. Patients who underwent knee or hip replacement need physical therapy to increase their strength and flexibility.


Speech Therapy

Speech therapy

A therapist giving speech therapy, Credits: pexels


People who have speech issues and find difficulties in language, communication, and fluency require the help of a speech therapist.

Speech therapy helps the patient communicate in more useful and functional ways.

The common techniques used to address speech issues are articulation therapy, feeding and language therapy, and language intervention activities.

Examples of Speech Therapy

Certain conditions like cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and cleft palate cause difficulties with drinking, swallowing, or communicating. These issues can be corrected by a speech therapist.

Other common conditions that are addressed include dyslexia, aphasia, dysphagia, and Parkinson’s disease.


Respiratory Therapy

This therapy is to help patients who have breathing disorders and difficulties. Respiratory therapy helps decrease respiratory distress and helps patients to use inhalers and supplemental oxygen appropriately.

Examples of Respiratory Therapy

Respiratory therapists help improve outcomes for people with asthma, pneumonia, emphysema, lung trauma, and other diagnoses. Respiratory therapists can evaluate your breathing, recommend exercises, and monitor the progress.

  1. Cognitive Rehabilitation

Cognitive Rehabilitation therapy aims to address the cognitive problems that arise after brain surgery. This therapy helps improve memory, thinking and reasoning skills.

  1. Vocational Rehabilitation

Vocational Rehabilitation

A person working, Credits: pexels


This therapy helps individuals return to work after an injury, illness, or medical event.

Types of Rehabilitation for Addiction

Once a person is addicted to drugs and substances, it is difficult to recover from it. Various treatment modalities help relive from addiction, this includes detoxification and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Types of Rehabilitation For Prisoners

  1. Education Rehabilitation

  2. Employment Rehabilitation

  3. Counseling Rehabilitation

  4. Wellness Rehabilitation

  5. Community Rehabilitation

Take-Home Message

Rehabilitation plays an important role in a patient’s recovery following surgery and any form of illness.

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