Sub-acute (Rehabilitation) Phase
The rehabilitation needs of individuals with an SCI are best at a specialised Spinal Cord Injury Unit, but often rehabilitation begins in the Acute or Trauma Hospital while the individual is awaiting transfer to a Spinal Injuries Unit.Individuals with different levels of SCI perform different motor tasks differently and it's important for physiotherapists to understand which functions are obtainable relevant to the SCI level.[3][6]
Objectives
Treatment objectives of the rehabilitation phase include:
	o	to establish an interdisciplinary process that is patient-focused, comprehensive and co-ordinated
	o	to address physical motor functional activities with early intervention and management to prevent further complications
	o	to improve an individual's independence in activities of daily living, such as bathing, eating, dressing, grooming, and mobility
	o	to achieve functional independence, whether physical- or verbal equipment in order to facilitate this independence
	o	to achieve and maintain successful reintegration into the community.[3][6]
Physiotherapy is a key component during the rehabilitation process following spinal cord injury and includes a variety of interventions that address multiple domains in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) including body function and structure, activity limitation, and participation, with many interventions directed at preventing, rather than treating, impairments, activity limitation and participation restrictions.Vertical lifting for individuals with C6 tetraplegia can be possible by passively extending elbows, externally rotating shoulders and depressing shoulders to weight bear with hands placed anteriorly to the pelvis.Rehabilitation requires consideration of the whole person; their physical, psychological, vocational and social background.