The orthopedic surgeon and rehabilitation engineering

Rapid advancements in technology in the past 30 years have brought about a close relationship between medicine and engineering. Part of this has been the close association of orthopedics and the prosthetics and orthotics technologies. In recent years, advances in other aspects of rehabilitation engineering have taken place; these have been partly based on the technology established by research in prosthetics and orthotics. The rapid progress in rehabilitation engineering now demands the attention of orthopedists. The role of the rehabilitation engineer is defined, and some examples are given of the kinds of problems confronted by the rehabilitation engineering clinic team. Especially as further progress takes place, the orthopedic surgeon and the prosthetist-orthotist need to obtain more knowledge of the technical aids needed to restore independence to the disabled.