ABSTRACT
Postinjury rehabilitation for musculoskeletal disorders can be classified into three distinct levels of
treatment.1 Diagnosis and the anticipated healing time from an inciting event dictate the timing of
administering the treatment, as the following delineates:
(a) Primary care. The term “rehabilitation” is used guardedly in this stage of postinjury non-
operative care, because patients may be severely limited by acute inflammatory changes from
active participation in treatment. It is provided during the acute stage of an injury, focusing
primarily on pain control but also taking into consideration the avoidance of deconditioning.
