Rehabilitation treatment
Rehabilitation is the treatment that gets you walking, moving and working again after an accident or illness.
Where to receive it
- Hospitals with a rehabilitation medicine department
- Rehabilitation and convalescent hospitals
- Physiotherapy rooms at local clinics — see physical-therapy
- Workers' Compensation hospitals for industrial accident patients — rehabilitation is supported once an accident is recognised. See industrial-accident-benefits.
The types
- Physiotherapy — heat, electrical and exercise therapy
- Occupational therapy — hand function and daily living activities
- Speech therapy — where stroke or similar affects speech or swallowing
- Assistive devices — wheelchairs, braces, prostheses
When to start
The earlier the better for recovery. Once surgery or acute treatment ends, ask your doctor "when does rehabilitation begin?"
Costs
- Some items are covered by health insurance.
- Where an industrial accident is recognised, industrial accident insurance covers it. Always consider making a claim.
- Disability registration brings assistive device support. See disability-registration.
- If the burden is heavy, ask 129 about medical cost support.
Where to go
- Hospitals with a rehabilitation medicine department
- 1588-0075 Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service (accident rehabilitation)
- 129 Health and Welfare Call Centre
- Your local community service centre (disability and welfare referrals)
- 1577-1366 · 1345 interpretation
Questions people ask
I was hurt at work. Is rehabilitation covered too? Once the accident is recognised, rehabilitation as well as treatment is supported. Ask 1588-0075.
How long does it take? It depends on your condition. Stopping partway slows recovery. Keep going even when it is hard.
Can I do it at home? Doing the exercises your therapist taught you at home matters greatly. Follow what you were taught rather than pushing yourself.
I can't follow the explanations in Korean. Use 1577-1366 interpretation, and ask for the exercises to be recorded as photos or video.
Take care
Delaying rehabilitation because of pain stiffens the joints and makes recovery far harder. Overdoing it, conversely, causes injury. Stay within the range your therapist and doctor set. Don't simply copy internet videos.
Related
physical-therapy · disability-registration · industrial-accident-benefits · medical-fee-support
Source
Ministry of Health and Welfare www.mohw.go.kr / As of 2026-08