title: Advances in rehabilitation medicine.
abstract: Rehabilitation medicine is the medical specialty that integrates rehabilitation as its core therapeutic modality in disability management. More than a billion people worldwide are disabled, and the World Health Organization has developed the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health as a framework through which disability is addressed. Herein, we explore paradigm shifts in neurorehabilitation, with a focus on restoration, and provide overviews on developments in neuropharmacology, rehabilitation robotics, virtual reality, constraint-induced therapy and brain stimulation. We also discuss important issues in rehabilitation systems of care, including integrated care pathways, very early rehabilitation, early supported discharge and telerehabilitation. Finally, we highlight major new fields of rehabilitation such as spasticity management, frailty and geriatric rehabilitation, intensive care and cancer rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, Outram Road, Singapore 169608. ng.yee.sien@sgh.com.sg.
authors.forename: Yee Sien
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Effie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chew
authors.forename: Geoffrey S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Samuel
authors.forename: Yeow Leng
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Keng He
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kong
mesh_terms: D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000145:classification / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D014944:World Health Organization