physical medicine

American  

noun

1. the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of disease and injury by means of physical agents, as manipulation, massage, exercise, heat, or water.

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physical medicine British  

noun

1. the branch of medicine devoted to the management of physical disabilities, as resulting from rheumatic disease, asthma, poliomyelitis, etc See also rehabilitation

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physical medicine Scientific  

1. The branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease and disability by physical means such as manipulation, massage, and exercise, often with mechanical devices, and the application of heat, cold, electricity, radiation, and water.

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Etymology

Origin of physical medicine

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

It can also work better for areas that might cause a tennis ball to compress or collapse, such as the hips, says Michael Fredericson, a professor of orthopedic surgery at Stanford University and a physical medicine and rehabilitation doctor with Stanford Health Care.

From Washington Post

Shashank Davé, a physiatrist and associate professor of clinical physical medicine and rehabilitation at the Indiana University School of Medicine, says that foam rollers can help prevent the delayed onset of muscle soreness when used after workouts.

From Washington Post

“Oftentimes, doctors will have told them, ‘You look fine, this is made up in your head, forget about it,’” said Dr. Elliot Roth, an attending physician at the AbilityLab’s Brain Innovation Center and chair of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Northwestern.

From Seattle Times

The term “stomach gripping” refers to when people activate their upper abdominal muscles and hold them in a contracted state for prolonged periods of time, said Sarah Hwang, an assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation and obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.

From Washington Post

The VR system could be an alternative option to opioid medications for back pain, Christopher Loftus, acting director of the Office of Neurological and Physical Medicine Devices at the FDA, said in a statement.

From The Verge