Who is the physiatrist? 

The physiatrist is that doctor – therefore graduated in medicine and surgery – specialized in Physical and Rehabilitative Medicine , also called Physiotherapy, Physiotherapy or Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

The founder of this specialist branch was the American physician Frank H. Krusen in the early twentieth century, creating the first Rehabilitation Department at Temple Hospital in Philadelphia in 1928 and writing the basic book ” Physical Medicine ” in 1941.

The training in Italy includes a 4-year postgraduate specialization school with a limited number. 

What pathologies does the physiatrist treat

The physiatrist is responsible for examining all those patients who have suffered physical trauma , be it congenital, following an operation or caused by illnesses or accidents.

The resulting physical disability can be both at the osteoarticular, musculoskeletal level, as well as neuro-motor, relational, psychological or connected to one’s physical environment.

To be clear, the physiatrist is not only concerned with evaluating back pain or after-effects of fractures, but, for example, also bladder disabilities, swallowing or articulation of sounds, after-effects of a stroke, Parkinson’s disease, ALS  or others . still. 

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Physiatrist therapy

The therapy that is prescribed can include both a pharmacological part and a physiotherapy part , during which the most appropriate techniques to alleviate and cure the disorder are illustrated.

In fact, the physiatrist knows in depth the human body and the methods and means that can help restore it to health, namely: ultrasound, magnetotherapy, tecar therapy, antalgic currents, Tens, laser therapy, hyperthermia, diadynamics and so on, also entering into therapies of last generation. 

Physiatrist or physiotherapist?

The physiatrist can operate both privately and publicly, working in collaboration with an interprofessional rehabilitation team. Often there is confusion between the figures of the physiatrist and physiotherapist and it is not clear, if necessary, to whom to go.

In fact, once the physiatrist has prescribed the treatment methodology to the patient, the physiotherapist is the one accompanying him in the execution of the various activities and processes chosen .

As a physiatrist explains very well in this video , the physiotherapist is a graduate technician who deals with rehabilitation and the execution of this through various physiotherapy and re-education techniques. The collaboration and constant comparison between the two figures, during the treatment of a patient, is very important. 

Useful references:  The Scientific Society that groups together most of the Italian physiatrists is SIMFER (Italian Society of Physical and Rehabilitative Medicine). Internationally there is the International Society of Physical & Rehabilitation Medicine (ISPRM). A useful site, totally dedicated to rehabilitation, is Ilfisiatra.it.