Design for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation is an essential part of the healthcare continuum and can benefit both the individual and the community. Design for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation addresses a vast group of health conditions including neurological, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and respiratory cases, as well as sensory impairments that can lead to developmental delays. Patients preparing for surgery, recovering from trauma, or receiving treatment for cancer can all benefit from rehabilitative programs to improve their health outcomes. Athletes and otherwise healthy individuals can also benefit from the science of physical and sports medicine to improve performance and recovery time.

This book provides a brief introduction to physical medicine and rehabilitation and its historical and global context for readers interested in the role of design. It introduces various settings where rehabilitation can be provided and their relevant patient demographics, influential trends, and available research, thus painting a full picture for readers who wish to better understand this field. The book lays the groundwork for making design decisions by sharing available standards, project case studies, environment and behavior literature, and applicable theories. Finally, it provides design and planning guidelines as well as trends that can impact future planning and design of environments that support rehabilitation programs. The book also highlights existing knowledge gaps in the design and planning of rehabilitation environments and provides a framework for environment and behavior researchers who wish to expand the field by addressing the needs of patients, staff, and families.