The Brain Injury Rehabilitation Clinics are specialized units established to provide comprehensive rehabilitation services for patients with neurological impairments resulting from traumatic and non-traumatic brain injuries.
Traumatic and non-traumatic brain injuries may cause a wide range of physical, functional, cognitive, and emotional impairments, depending on the affected areas of the brain. These impairments primarily include muscle weakness or loss of motor function, sensory disturbances, and limitations in daily activities.
Non-traumatic brain injuries represent a significant cause of disability worldwide, with stroke being one of the most widely recognized conditions in this category. According to the traditional World Health Organization (WHO) definition, stroke is a clinical syndrome characterized by rapidly developing signs of focal or global cerebral dysfunction, lasting 24 hours or longer or leading to death, with no apparent cause other than a vascular origin.
Adult cerebral palsy is another condition addressed within the scope of neurological rehabilitation. Cerebral palsy is a permanent, non-progressive disorder of movement, muscle tone, and posture resulting from disturbances or injuries affecting the developing brain during prenatal, perinatal, or early postnatal life.
Advances in medical care have enabled most children with cerebral palsy to survive into adulthood. Although the underlying neurological condition is non-progressive, functional limitations and secondary complications may change or become more pronounced with age.
Clinical Conditions and Functional Impairments
Patients with traumatic brain injuries and neurological conditions such as hypoxic-anoxic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, adult cerebral palsy, and stroke may experience a variety of neurological and functional impairments.
These may affect the upper and lower extremities, head, trunk, one side of the body, or the entire body.
Common impairments and complications include:
Muscle weakness and loss of motor function
Abnormal muscle tone and movement disorders
Sensory loss or altered sensation
Cognitive impairments, including memory and attention difficulties
Visual field defects
Speech and communication difficulties
Swallowing and feeding difficulties
Dizziness and balance disorders
Urinary and fecal incontinence
Sleep disturbances
Mood disorders, including depression and anxiety
Secondary complications may also develop, including:
Many of these complications can be prevented, managed, or treated through timely and appropriate medical care and rehabilitation interventions.
Early and individualized rehabilitation programs play an important role in improving functional outcomes, reducing complications, and supporting patients' independence.
Neurological Recovery and Rehabilitation
Following brain injury, a degree of spontaneous neurological recovery may occur. However, this recovery is often limited and may not result in complete restoration of previous neurological functions.
Rehabilitation interventions, particularly when initiated at an appropriate early stage, aim to promote functional recovery, maximize independence, and support the restoration or compensation of impaired abilities.
At our Brain Injury Rehabilitation Clinics, individualized rehabilitation programs are implemented to:
Minimize the functional consequences of neurological injury
Support and facilitate the recovery process
Maximize functional improvement and independence
Prevent secondary complications
Support secondary stroke prevention in collaboration with relevant medical specialties
Improve patients' quality of life and participation in daily activities
Rehabilitation Methods and Therapeutic Approaches
The foundation of our rehabilitation programs consists of therapeutic exercises designed to restore muscle function, improve movement, and maintain acquired functional abilities.
Our rehabilitation programs include:
Range-of-motion exercises
Stretching and mobilization techniques
Muscle strengthening exercises
Balance and coordination training
Cardiovascular conditioning exercises
Functional mobility training
In addition to conventional rehabilitation approaches, our clinic provides various complementary therapeutic modalities and technologically assisted rehabilitation methods, including:
Electrotherapy
Hydrotherapy (aquatic therapy)
Fluidotherapy
Occupational therapy
Robot-assisted rehabilitation
Task-oriented and function-based therapeutic exercises
Rehabilitation programs are individually designed according to each patient's cognitive, physical, functional, and emotional capabilities, as well as existing or potential complications.
Conventional neurological rehabilitation techniques, including the Brunnstrom Approach, the Bobath Concept, and Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF), may also be incorporated into individualized treatment plans.
When clinically indicated, botulinum toxin injections are administered for the management of spasticity.
Rehabilitation for Parkinson's Disease and Other Movement Disorders
In addition to patients with traumatic and non-traumatic brain injuries, our clinics provide rehabilitation services for patients with Parkinson's disease, multiple system atrophy, chorea, dystonia, and other movement disorders.
Unlike the neurological impairments commonly observed after stroke, these conditions may primarily involve involuntary changes in movement, including reduced movement speed, abnormal movements, excessive movements, or impaired motor control.
Such symptoms may affect the extremities, trunk, facial muscles, swallowing, speech, and other functional activities.
Our Brain Injury Rehabilitation Clinics work in close coordination with the Neurology Department through an interdisciplinary approach that integrates medical treatment and rehabilitation services.
Individualized rehabilitation programs aim to improve:
Functional independence
Self-care abilities
Activities of daily living
Balance and coordination
Mobility and walking ability
Overall motor performance
These programs incorporate goal-oriented therapeutic exercises in an enriched rehabilitation environment, supported by electrotherapy, hydrotherapy, and advanced rehabilitation technologies.
Technological rehabilitation equipment used in our clinics includes:
Treadmill-based rehabilitation systems
Balance training devices
Upper and lower extremity occupational therapy equipment
Robot-assisted gait training systems
Virtual reality-based rehabilitation applications
All rehabilitation interventions are planned and adjusted according to each patient's individual clinical condition, functional abilities, and rehabilitation goals.
Scientific Development and Professional Training
Our academic teaching staff and specialist physicians closely follow scientific and technological developments in the field of neurological rehabilitation.
When appropriate, our healthcare professionals participate in educational programs, professional courses, and specialized training activities to acquire and improve their clinical knowledge and practical skills.
These developments are integrated into clinical practice through the advanced rehabilitation technologies and medical equipment available at our hospital.
Our Goals and Objectives
As the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Clinics of Ankara Etlik City Hospital, our primary objective is to provide comprehensive, evidence-based, and individualized rehabilitation services using current medical knowledge and advanced rehabilitation technologies.
We strive to help patients achieve the highest possible level of functional recovery, independence, and quality of life through coordinated, multidisciplinary rehabilitation programs.
Inpatient Rehabilitation Services
Our inpatient rehabilitation clinics are located on the 1st floor of the hospital.
The department consists of four inpatient rehabilitation units, each with a capacity of 25 beds, providing a total of 100 inpatient beds.
Outpatient Rehabilitation Services
Our outpatient rehabilitation services are provided at Outpatient Clinic B, located on the ground floor of the hospital.
Consultations are conducted by our academic teaching staff according to the following schedule:
Brain Injury Rehabilitation Outpatient Clinic
Tuesday — Rehabilitation consultations for patients with brain injuries, including stroke.
Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Outpatient Clinic
Tuesday and Thursday — Rehabilitation consultations for patients with Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders.