Most experts agree that rehabilitation concerns itself with restoration of function.
Historically, rehabilitation was considered appropriate if no cure was possible, such as with a stroke or cerebral palsy. The rehabilitation was to improve functioning to the maximum level possible. Eventually, rehabilitation became a standard part of sports medicine, where the emphasis was on restoring functional strength, flexibility, coordination, and endurance, not merely on reducing pain or inflammation. This has revolutionized the standard of care for all pain patients. Sometimes these are measurable and are called physical capacity tests.