title: Outline of medical rehabilitation history in Poland and worldwide.
abstract: The study is an outline of the historical development of rehabilitation as a new medical discipline in Poland and worldwide. Rehabilitation has developed dynamically in the interwar period. In the US, it was pioneered by Howard Rusk, while in Poland, rehabilitation was introduced by Wiktor Dega. Medical rehabilitation is an interdisciplinary approach and is an integral and irremovable element of treatment at all treatment stages. Of note is the contribution of Wiktor Dega, who has developed and presented the Polish concept of rehabilitation, considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) as worth of being followed. Wiktor Dega believed that rehabilitation should be started possibly early--as soon as in the active disease stage and should provide and maintain good functional results after surgical treatment. The article discusses the contribution of pioneer specialists in rehabilitation in two first rehabilitation centers in Poland, established after World War II in Poznań and Konstancin near Warsaw.
authors.affiliation: Department and Clinic of Rehabilitation, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland. strylaw@gmail.com
authors.forename: Wanda
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Stryła
authors.forename: Adam M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Pogorzała
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nowakowski
mesh_terms: D014943:Global Health; D049668:History, 15th Century; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000266:history* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000266:history; D026761:Physical Therapy Specialty / Q000266:history*; D010810:Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine / Q000266:history*; D011044:Poland; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000266:history*