Defining disability is challenged by uzzy boundaries, fluctuating capacity, & performancee or capability. Its core is interraction with the environment.

What is a diagnosis? Consider: the purpose, valid & invalid uses, a systems approach, especially person-level maladies. Multi-axial formulation should be used.

First published: November 24, 2025 Last updated: November 23, 2025 In What is a diagnosis? Part 1, I explained that diagnoses can generally be divided into biomedical diagnoses supported by observable features that can be independently verified, and syndromic diagnoses based on specific collections of symptoms without independent observable features. Neither category has a complete, consistent taxonomy (system of classification).

Rehabilitation initially (1533) restored social status; the First WW precipitated the development of healthcare rehab. 14 key concepts encapsulate rehabiitation

Most clinicians, teams and organisation intend to give person-centred care. Five attributes of a clinical encounter demonstrate it. Managerial culture stops it.

Biopsychosocial disequilibrium occurs when homeostasis and allostasis fail to balance the demands on a person with their adaptive resources, causing unwellness

First published: November 14, 2025 Last updated: November 14, 2025 How can we tell when something is wrong with us? In a popular post (6,800 views over four years), Disease, illness, sickness, and disability, I discuss different ideas related to being unwell. I did not explain how someone knows they are unwell. The answer might seem obvious: you develop symptoms, but why and how?

Homeostasis maintains stability using feedback to target a response to changes. It applies to physiological and biopsychosocial states (e.g. Maslow's needs)

Malady refers to an unpleasant (evil) feeling or experience due to a bodily problem. It encompasses all aspects of ill health. It could be a non-judgmental term.

First published: November 6, 2025 Last updated: November 6, 2025 In January 1781, The London Medical Journal published a 19-page review of a book written by Dr Tiffot, a member of the Société Royale de Londres, entitled Traité des Nerfs et de leurs Maladies. (Treatise on the nerves and their maladies). Since then, malady has been used in the context of a person’s health, but not extensively.

Information About Rehabilitation Matters, its purpose, ownership, author, governance, values, principles and how to contact and feedback.

This paper addresses bioethical considerations in end-of-life healthcare. It explores Islamic bioethical concepts of karāma and ḥurma, framing them as homeomorphic equivalents to categories of human d...

Enablement & treatment theories for rehabilitation & the associated RTSS system describing treatments will improve clinical care & research: strength/weakness

First published: October 31, 2025 Last updated: October 31, 2025 John Whyte and a multiprofessional team from several North American rehabilitation centres have worked on rehabilitation theory for two decades. Early in their work, they distinguished between enablement theories and treatment theories. They have applied their concept of treatment theory to develop a principled approach for describing all rehabilitation treatments, known as the Rehabilitation Treatment Specification System, or RTSS.

Rehabilitation thinking is a person-centred, holistic cognitive approach based on the general theory of rehabilitation and biospychosocial model of illness.

Life goals are long-term, personal goals based on core values, relationships, worldview & identity, reflecting purpose and meaning. Hope & Maslow's needs help.

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Objective To propose three areas of cognitive expertise as the foundation of rehabilitation, uniting the many varieties of rehabilitation. Five issues The foll...

Pending Publication

What makes a specialist rehabilitation service? Rehabilitation thinking, person-centred teamwork, and a service with demonstrated specialist competencies,

This cluster randomized clinical trial compares the effectiveness of foundational vs enhanced implementation support for enrolling and retaining patients in a group physical therapy program for knee o...

Healthcare theory is rarely discussed. It dictates policy and is based on the biomedical model, causing difficulties. Biopsychosocial healthcare is needed.

Objective To review challenges associated with health economic studies in rehabilitation, providing a context for the new Clinical Rehabilitation collection of ...