Rheumatic diseases are a major medical and socioeconomic problem in the Western World.' They pose problems not only in terms of their aetiology and treatment2-4 but also in attracting staff to the "Cinderella" specialty of clinical rheumatology.5 This difficulty in recruitment has been interpreted as partly, if not largely, due to the chronic nature of the diseases.6 The association of rheumato...

The military has a rich tradition in relation to physical medicine and rehabilitation. The development of physical medicine and rehabilitation, to a large extent, can be traced to the wars of the 20th century. Military physiatrists were visionary leaders of our field, who responded to the overwhelming needs of war casualties, and with their insight, propelled psychiatry physical medicine and re...

The incorporation of PM&R into the medical student curriculum thus provides benefits at multiple levels: to patients, to medical students, and to practitioners already in the field. The knowledge about PM&R gained by the medical student is spread to disciplines outside of PM&R through the learning of principles and specific factual data that can be applicable for practitioners caring for a vari...

In the context of the White Book of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (PRM) in Europe, this paper describes the background to the context of PRM services and comprises the following: - Epidemiological Aspects of Functioning and Disability - Ethical Aspects and Human Rights - Rehabilitation and Health Systems - Economic Burden of Disability - Effects of Lack of Rehabilitation Health care serv...

In response to a news report of the rehabilitation of a New York-based dancer/actor with cerebral palsy, to the point where a ballet performance was scheduled, it was determined that a report based on the individuals involved would be commissioned. The resulting reports from the choreographer responsible for the rehabilitation exercises, and the dancer, were circulated to an interdisciplinary s...

John C. Carapanayiotis was specialized in physical medicine and rehabilitation in the USA in 1948, at a time when the medical world in post-war Greece was ignorant of this specific medical specialty, and the political, economic and social backdrop was incapable of accepting and understanding the wealth of scientific knowledge that he was trying to introduce. At this point it should be noted tha...

Steven A Sparr1* and Concetta M Tomaino2 1Director of Neurorehabilitation, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 111 East 210 Street, Bronx, New York, USA 2Executive Director, Institute for Music and Neurological Function, New York, USA *Corresponding author: Steven A Sparr, Director of Neurorehabilitation, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine...

The relationship between neurology and rehabilitation medicine is discussed. The question "Does rehabilitation work?" is not useful. Rather, it should be asked when and how specific rehabilitation techniques should be applied? A satisfactory solution to these questions will not be found without informed neurological involvement. It is argued that the management of most neurological diseases wou...