Physical medicine is a medical specialty that focuses on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of physical disorders or injuries. It commonly involves the use of physical therapy, exercise, medication, and other natural remedies to improve the patient's physical health and functionality. Some common synonyms for physical medicine include rehabilitation medicine, physiatry, sports medicine, and manual medicine. These terms refer to the same discipline and the same approach to treatment, but may differ in their specific area of focus or expertise. Whatever the terminology used, the goal of physical medicine is always to help patients achieve maximum physical function and quality of life.