Burn injuries are complex and require a team approach. If you have sustained a severe burn injury, the main primary goals after your admission in a Burn Unit / Centre will be life preservation and wound coverage. Rehabilitation is an important and substantial part of burn treatment and should start immediately and intensively after admission, sometimes at the same time as the primary goals. The earlier the rehabilitation programs start, the better the patient’s recovery.

The extent, the depth and body area involved by burning as well as the age and any associated problems give us data about the possible patterns of deformity and scar contractures that may develop. From the first day of your admission, this information is used to design and establish a rehabilitation programme tailored to each patient’s needs.

The more severe the burn wounds, the more challenging the rehabilitation process.
Rehabilitation has short and long term goals that need to be attained. The short term goals include preservation of patient’s functional ability and range of movements in the burned areas. Long term goals represent the return of the patient to an independent way of living and the integration back into the society. As a burn survivor, you may need to learn again how to walk, how to compensate for any loss of function in different areas of your body affected by burns.

The reintegration in the society has many facets such as:

• Facing and getting used with the new appearance and body image
• Going back to work or school
• Re-developing the relationships with your relatives and friends
• Re-developing the relationship with the partner / husband/wife
• Dealing with the other problems that could be a cause of your burn injury (depression, suicide attempts)

Rehabilitation programs are lead by a team made of:

• Burn surgeon
• Physiotherapist
• Occupational therapist
• Play therapist / Teacher
• Psychologist
• Social services
• Outreach team

^ top of page