Early Acute Rehabilitation of Wounded Service Members: From ICU to Functional Recovery

Rehabilitation does not begin after surgical treatment is finished. In the Kharkiv military hospital model presented by Ivan Darii, it becomes part of care from the second or third day after injury and continues across intensive care, surgical wards and the rehabilitation unit.

The lecture explores practical approaches to early positioning and verticalization, mirror therapy, neuromuscular stimulation, assessment of muscle strength, dysphagia screening and prevention of immobilization-related complications. It also clarifies the distinct roles of physical therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, speech and language therapists, rehabilitation nurses, social workers and physicians in physical and rehabilitation medicine.

Clinical examples show how pain management, neurorehabilitation, visual and vestibular training, virtual reality, adaptive sports and psychosocial support can be integrated into one continuous recovery pathway. The discussion also addresses safety criteria for working with critically ill patients, communication between surgical and rehabilitation teams, and rehabilitation as a tool for restoring not only movement, but participation in everyday life.