Rehabilitation Medicine Glossary
100 terms total — 24 showing — Last updated 15 Sep 2026
Functional Mobility
The ability to move around in one's environment to accomplish daily activities and participate in life situations.
Activities of Daily Living
Basic self-care tasks used to assess functional independence in rehabilitation settings.
Agnosia
Inability to recognize or interpret sensory information despite intact sensory organs and cognitive function.
Ambulatory Assistive Device
Equipment used to support mobility and walking, including walkers, canes, and crutches.
Anosognosia
Lack of awareness or denial of one's own neurological deficit or disability.
Aphasia
Language disorder affecting the ability to communicate through speaking, understanding, reading, or writing.
Apraxia
Inability to perform learned voluntary movements despite having the physical ability and understanding to do so.
AROM
Active range of motion exercises performed by the patient without external assistance to maintain joint flexibility.
Ashworth Scale
A clinical scale used to measure muscle spasticity and tone in rehabilitation patients.
Assistive Technology
Devices and software designed to maintain or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.
Ataxia
Lack of muscle coordination resulting in irregular, unsteady movements and impaired balance.
Barthel Index
A standardized assessment tool measuring independence in basic activities of daily living.
Berg Balance Scale
A 14-item clinical assessment tool measuring balance and fall risk in rehabilitation patients.
Bobath Technique
A neurological rehabilitation approach that focuses on inhibiting abnormal movement patterns and facilitating normal mov...
Botulinum Toxin Injection
Therapeutic injection of botulinum toxin to reduce muscle spasticity and dystonia in rehabilitation patients.
CARF
Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, the primary accrediting body for rehabilitation programs.
CIMT
Constraint-induced movement therapy, a rehabilitation approach that forces use of an affected limb.
Clonus
Rhythmic, involuntary muscle contractions triggered by sudden stretching, indicating upper motor neuron dysfunction and...
Cognitive Rehabilitation
Therapeutic interventions designed to improve or compensate for cognitive deficits following brain injury or disease.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
A structured psychological intervention addressing maladaptive thought patterns and behaviors that may impede rehabilita...
Community Reintegration
The process of helping patients return to meaningful participation in community activities and social roles following il...
Compensatory Strategy
Alternative methods or techniques taught to patients to accomplish functional tasks when normal movement patterns cannot...
Comprehensive Integrated Inpatient Rehabilitation Program
Medicare-defined rehabilitation program requiring specific staffing, intensity, and documentation standards.
Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy
Rehabilitation technique that restricts use of the unaffected limb to promote recovery of the affected limb.
Contracture
Permanent shortening and tightening of muscles, tendons, or joint capsules limiting range of motion.