Rehabilitation — or rehab— can help you recover from physical, cognitive (thinking/memory) or communication (speaking/understanding) problems caused by an injury or illness.
Rehab can help if it is difficult for you to:
move your hands, arms, legs or other parts of your body or moving them is painful
sit up, stand or walk
keep your balance
breathe, swallow or talk
solve problems, focus or pay attention.
Rehab will help you improve your strength and independence. It will also help you return to your usual activities as quickly as possible. Rehabilitative care is meant to help you achieve your goals at home, at school or work and in the community.
Where do I get rehab?
Rehab is provided by health professionals with special training such as physiotherapists, physiatrists (rehab doctors), occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists and others.
You may receive rehab in a hospital (bedded), a clinic (outpatient), in your community or in your home. Programs are often designed for specific injuries or conditions. For example, you might need rehab if you have a:
