Integration of embodied cognitive science and rehabilitation

Abstract

This article reviews key topics and research examples at the intersection of cognitive science and rehabilitation, with a particular focus on Radical Embodied Cognitive Science. In recent movement science, the body is understood as a complex system, and analytical methods derived from nonlinear dynamics have been widely applied. In rehabilitation practice, the patients’ bodies are highly complex and not fully understood scientifically. Nevertheless, therapists are able to implement effective interventions through clinical knowledge, and through verbal and nonverbal communication with patients. To better understand such complex phenomena and implicit therapeutic skills, insights from cognitive science are essential. From this perspective, the author introduces several research examples — including the application of biofeedback systems, obstacle avoidance, adaptive strategies, and haptic client–therapist interaction. The article further discusses other relevant studies, the broader social context surrounding rehabilitation, and recent technological innovations. It concludes by arguing for the increasing necessity of integrating cognitive science and rehabilitation to better understand real-world, ecologically valid phenomena and to support more effective rehabilitation practices.