Glossary
Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.
54 results found in Rehabilitation.
- Ankle-Foot Orthosis (AFO)
- A lower-limb orthosis that supports the ankle and foot, typically prescribed to control foot drop, improve toe clearance during swing, and stabilise the ankle during stance. AFOs come in solid, hinged…
- Assistive Technology Assessment (AT Assessment, Assistive Technology Evaluation, AT Evaluation)
- An assistive technology assessment is a systematic evaluation process to identify the most appropriate assistive technology solutions for an individual with a disability. The assessment typically cons…
- Augmented Feedback (Extrinsic Feedback)
- Feedback provided by an external system - visual, auditory, haptic, or multimodal - that supplements the intrinsic sensory feedback a learner receives from their own body during a motor task. Augmente…
- Clinical Reasoning (CR)
- The cognitive and reflective process by which healthcare clinicians — particularly physical and occupational therapists — individualize care under patient and contextual uncertainty. Clinical reasonin…
- Cognitive Orthotic (Cognitive Orthosis, Cognitive Support Device)
- A cognitive orthotic is an assistive technology device or system designed to compensate for cognitive impairments by providing external support for functions such as memory, planning, sequencing, and …
- Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR)
- Community-based rehabilitation (CBR) is a strategy for enhancing the quality of life of people with disabilities by improving service delivery, providing equitable opportunities, and promoting their r…
- Cortical Plasticity (Brain Plasticity, Neural Plasticity, Cortical Reorganization)
- The brain's ability to reorganize its neural connections and functional organization in response to injury, learning, or environmental changes. In the context of disability and rehabilitation, cortica…
- Cued Naming Therapy (Cued Naming, Cueing Hierarchy Therapy)
- A structured aphasia therapy approach in which clinicians provide progressively stronger hints (cues) to help a person retrieve a target word. Cues may be phonological (providing the first sound or sy…
- Cueing (External Cueing, Sensory Cueing)
- In rehabilitation, cueing is the delivery of external sensory stimuli - visual, auditory, or somatosensory - that guide or trigger a motor action. Cueing is used most prominently in Parkinson's diseas…
- Diaphragmatic Breathing (Belly Breathing, Abdominal Breathing)
- A breathing technique that emphasises movement of the abdominal wall and diaphragm during inspiration rather than the accessory muscles of the neck and shoulders. By engaging the diaphragm more fully,…
- Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS, Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation, NMES)
- A technique that uses electrical impulses delivered through surface electrodes to elicit muscle contractions. EMS is used therapeutically for muscle re-education, spasticity management, and rehabilita…
- Exergame (Exercise Game, Exergaming, Active Video Game)
- A video game that requires physical activity beyond traditional handheld controller manipulation, combining gaming with exercise. Exergames use motion sensors, cameras, balance boards, or other input …
- Exergames (Exertion games, Active video games, AVGs)
- Video games designed to require physical exertion — whole-body movement, resistance, or sustained aerobic activity — as the primary input modality. Exergames span consumer titles (e.g., Wii Fit, Ring …
- Fractionation (Finger Fractionation, Finger Independence)
- The ability to move individual fingers independently of one another, a key measure of fine motor control assessed in stroke rehabilitation. After a stroke, patients often lose fractionation, meaning t…
- Functional Capacity (Functional Ability)
- The maximum level at which a person can perform a given physical or cognitive activity under standardised conditions. Functional capacity represents what a person is capable of doing, as opposed to wh…
- Functional Limitation (Functional Restriction)
- A restriction or lack of ability to perform a physical or cognitive action in the manner or within the range considered typical. In the context of accessibility and rehabilitation, functional limitati…
- Gait Cycle (Walking cycle)
- The repeating pattern of leg movement during walking, defined from one foot contact with the ground to the next contact of the same foot. The cycle is divided into two main phases: the stance phase (f…
- Gait Training (Gait Rehabilitation)
- Gait training is therapeutic practice aimed at improving walking function - velocity, stride length, symmetry, stability, and cadence - in people with neurological or musculoskeletal impairments. It i…
- Genu Recurvatum (Knee hyperextension)
- Backward bending of the knee beyond its normal straight position during standing or stance phase of gait. Genu recurvatum is often caused by hamstring weakness, quadriceps spasticity, or proprioceptiv…
- HAAT Model (Human Activity Assistive Technology Model)
- A conceptual framework for understanding and designing assistive technology systems that identifies four interconnected components: the human user, the activity being performed, the assistive technolo…