Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) was established with a vision to provide rehabilitation services to patients, especially to persons with disabilities. PM&R OPD became functional on 23-02-2021 and is located in the ground floor of the Artificial Limb Center building. The department aims to provide good rehabilitation services to patients suffering disability due to neurological, musculoskeletal, cancer and any other medical condition. The department conducted a medical check-up camp on ‘International day of persons with disability’ on 03-12-2020 at ‘Sevadhama’, a spinal cord injury rehabilitation center near Dharmasthala, Karnataka. We also provided medical services during a health check-up camp in TMA Pai Hospital, Udupi for persons with spinal cord injury. The department is actively collaborating with Department of spine surgery and Palliative medicine and supportive care to provide rehabilitation to patients. PM&R department offers a holistic approach towards disability caused by conditions like spinal cord injury, brain injury, stroke, amputation, musculoskeletal pain, cerebral palsy, diabetic foot ulcers, polio, in geriatric population and various other conditions which can cause a limitation in functioning of an individual’s life. PM&R Physicians treat spasticity, pain, neurogenic bladder and bowel, paralysis, bed sores, prescribe appropriate prosthesis and orthoses etc. and help make a goal of rehabilitation with a team of allied health professionals like occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech and language pathology, prosthetists and orthotists, rehabilitation nurses, psychologists, social workers and others. The main goal of the department being making the patient independent in their daily lives.

PM&R department aims to start a post-graduate program for MBBS graduates in the coming years. An individual who completes post-graduate training in PM&R, goes out to provide a holistic care and service to persons with disabilities. He/ She can super-specialize in pain medicine, amputee rehabilitation, pediatric rehabilitation, neuro-rehabilitation, geriatric rehabilitation, pediatric rehabilitation, trauma rehabilitation, sports medicine to name a few. Advances in medical science has led to longer life spam but also an increase in disabilities due degenerative conditions and other disorders. Hence, the need for Rehab Physicians or also called as ‘Physiatrists’ is on the rise. We not only treat the condition but the person as a whole and this specialty is for someone who wants to know their patients better, have empathy towards patients and their families and can look into the future a plan for the patient and the well-being of the patient’s family. PM&R also offers a good future if one wants to work in the western world, where it is one of the most sought-after branches as it offers a good work-life balance.

National Medical Council has recently introduced PM&R in the MBBS curriculum with the intention of making the MBBS graduate develop knowledge about persons with disabilities and to recognize disabilities and be able to make a basic rehabilitation plan. This will help a student be an empathetic doctor with a vision to rehabilitate and empower patients.

A Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation department in a tertiary care hospital plays a very important role by providing a one stop area of treatment for persons with disabilities and recognizing a patient’s needs and making a comprehensive and time limited rehabilitation plan. 

PM&R offers rehabilitation services to patients with stroke, spinal cord injury, amputation, neuromuscular diseases, Cerebral palsy, neural tube defects, traumatic brain injury sequelae, musculoskeletal pain conditions – osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia etc. diabetic foot ulcer management, post-polio residual paralysis. PM&R physicians diagnose and manage spasticity, neurogenic bladder and bowel secondary to spinal cord injury or brain injury and pressure ulcers. A comprehensive rehabilitation plan along-with Occupational therapy, Physiotherapy and other allied medical specialities as and when required is made based on the patient’s condition and needs. 

We are looking forward to conducting high quality research in the near future and also will be actively involved with other departments in conducting clinical studies. Good clinical practice and good research ethics will be followed as per the guidelines issued. 

Dr. Ranjan S S from the department was a resource person for a training session on disability competency for the first batch of MBBS students based on the new CBME curriculum.

The department has entered into a MOU with ‘Sevadhama’, a spinal cord injury rehabilitation center based in the premises of Southadka Mahaganapathi temple, Kokkadda, near Dharmasthala to provide medical services once a month.

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Address:

Google map: https://goo.gl/maps/wZ6aimKLneN4uVp77

Email: pmr.kmc@manipal.edu

Phone number: 0820 – 29 23908