A resident arrived after septic shock and acute respiratory failure, severely deconditioned with bilateral plantar foot pain that worsened with weight-bearing. Physiatry identified a likely plantar-fasciitis component and coordinated a pain and rehabilitation plan with therapy. Within about a month, the resident denied foot pain, reported therapy was going well, and was observed walking independently back to his room. This case shows how targeted pain evaluation turned a weight-bearing barrier into a path back to independence.

During a routine visit, physiatry identified new 3+ pitting edema and warmth in a resident’s left leg — a possible sign of deep vein thrombosis that covering nursing staff, unfamiliar with the patient, had not noticed. With the facility APRN away, physiatry escalated directly to the nursing supervisor, who coordinated with the covering medical service to order an ultrasound and rule out DVT. This case shows how a physiatrist’s hands-on exam can catch a time-sensitive medical issue that might otherwise be missed during staffing gaps.