Conditions & Treatments

PM&R physicians (or physiatrists) evaluate and treat patients with short- or long-term physical and/or cognitive impairments and disabilities that result from musculoskeletal conditions (neck or back pain, or sports or work injuries), neurological conditions (stroke, brain injury or spinal cord injury) or medical other conditions. Their goal is to decrease pain and enhance performance without surgery.

Below are some of the most common PM&R-related conditions; all are grouped by clinical area. We’ve also translated these articles into Spanish. Click on the article of interest and navigate to the right (under Patients and Families) to download a printable PDF handout in English or Spanish. A link to the full PM&R Knowledge Now^®article is also available for physicians to view/read. Thank you to our workgroup who translated the patient articles into Spanish.

About Physiatry

Do you work with an institution or company looking to learn more about physiatry?

Learn more about partnerships with AAPM&R.

Learn the ABC's of physiatry with this Guide to PM&R.

"Ask for a Physician" Patient Card

In partnership with the American Medical Association, AAPM&R released a new resource aimed at empowering patients to ask questions about the qualifications of the person who is providing their healthcare – the "Ask for a Physician" Patient Card. The card includes a QR code that will direct patients to a webpage, which provides a high-level overview of the difference in education and training of physicians and non-physicians. As PM&R physicians, you are encouraged to distribute the cards to your patients.

Medical Rehabilitation

Pain-Neuromuscular Medicine Rehabilitation

Musculoskeletal Medicine

Essentials of Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation of Central Nervous System Disorders

Pediatric Rehabilitation

Thank You to Our Authors!

AAPM&R and PM&R KnowledgeNOW^® would like to thank the 100+ volunteers who worked on updating the Conditions and Treatments patient pages. Without the countless hours our authors and editors spent reviewing, refreshing and reviewing again, we would not be able to have this exciting resource for both our patients and referring physicians.