physical medicine and rehabilitation

noun

: a medical specialty concerned with preventing, diagnosing, and treating disabling diseases, disorders, and injuries by physical means (as by the use of electrotherapy, therapeutic exercise, or pharmaceutical pain control)

called also physiatry, physical medicine

Examples of physical medicine and rehabilitation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Paridy said the hospital has the largest research portfolio for a physical medicine and rehabilitation hospital in the world. — Shanzeh Ahmad, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2022 Smith, an expert in physical medicine and rehabilitation, alleged in his complaint that he was abruptly fired in January after complaining about racially insensitive remarks overheard on a Zoom call. — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2021 Smith resolved to learn more about the field of physiatry, or physical medicine and rehabilitation, taking a four-week elective rotation at Chicago’s Rehabilitation Institute. — Bob Goldsborough, chicagotribune.com, 8 Sep. 2021 Venus notes that physicians specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation (also called physiatrists) work closely with physical and occupational therapists to collaboratively manage spasticity across multiple diagnoses. — Sara Lindberg, SELF, 10 Feb. 2022 See All Example Sentences for physical medicine and rehabilitation

Word History

First Known Use

1939, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of physical medicine and rehabilitation was in 1939

Rhymes for physical medicine and rehabilitation

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Browse Nearby Words

physical medicine
physical medicine and rehabilitation
physical metallurgy
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Cite this Entry

“Physical medicine and rehabilitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/physical%20medicine%20and%20rehabilitation. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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Medical Definition

physical medicine and rehabilitation

noun
: a medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of disabling diseases, disorders, and injuries typically of a musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, neuromuscular, or neurological nature by physical means (as by the use of electromyography, electrotherapy, therapeutic exercise, or pharmaceutical pain control)

called also physiatrics, physiatry, physical medicine

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