Rehabilitation plays a decisive role in determining how independently and actively people can live after illness, accident or surgery.
OTWorld 2026 – taking place from 19 to 22 May in Leipzig – is placing a special focus on orthopaedic and trauma surgery rehabilitation in its World Congress and International Trade Show. Current figures underscore the relevance of this topic: according to the 2024 Rehabilitation Atlas published by the German Pension Insurance Fund, nearly 994,000 people received medical rehabilitation services in 2023. Around 352,000 of these cases were for orthopaedic indications alone, making this the largest single area of medical rehabilitation.
Congress President Dr Doris Maier, Medical Director of the BG Unfallklinik Murnau, attaches central importance to the topic. “Rehabilitation is one of the cornerstones that, alongside guideline-based diagnosis and treatment, determines the treatment outcome for the patient,” says Maier. “It requires interdisciplinary teams, timely and patient-centred treatment pathways – and tailor-made care for prosthetics and orthotics. Especially in times of economic pressure, it is important to strengthen rehabilitation as an integral part of integrative care.”
Rehabilitation between practice, technology and digitalisation
The OTWorld World Congress addresses the many facets of modern rehabilitation in symposia, workshops and lectures. Topics under discussion include cross-phase rehabilitation concepts, the transition from acute care to rehabilitation, and new ways of reducing pain. A separate symposium is dedicated to the question of how rehabilitation can be reliably organised even in crisis and conflict situations – from fast-track rehabilitation to cross-sector care.
Technological developments are playing an increasingly important role in this context. Orthoses, exoskeletons, intelligent control systems and digital training and therapy tools are opening up new possibilities for promoting mobility, self-determination and participation. In lectures and workshops, experts will demonstrate how these technologies can be used in an evidence-based manner and share their practical experience from clinical and outpatient practice.
Digitalisation as support – not as a substitute
The role of digitalisation will also be critically examined. “Digital systems can relieve the burden on specialists and open up more flexible treatment options for patients,” says Maier. “However, it is crucial that digital offerings are individually tailored and professionally supervised. Technology can provide support – but personalised, individually tailored care remains at the heart of rehabilitation.”
Symposia on artificial intelligence, robotics, tele-rehabilitation, and augmented and virtual reality show where digital applications are already being used effectively today and where their limitations lie. The aim is to provide guidance and facilitate the transfer into healthcare practice.
Thinking about rehabilitation in an interdisciplinary way
The focus of the congress makes it clear: successful rehabilitation is teamwork. Doctors, therapists, prosthetists and orthotists and other professional groups work together to design care pathways that combine medical, technical and psychosocial aspects. OTWorld offers an international platform for this – practical, interdisciplinary and scientifically sound.
Three focal points, one common goal
In addition to the focus on rehabilitation, the OTWorld 2026 World Congress will also focus on the topics of training and integrative care. While training lays the foundation for tomorrow’s quality and security of care, integrative care stands for cross-sector interaction between all professional groups along the entire care pathway.
In addition, the programme will address current issues in prosthetics and orthotics, compression therapy, digital transformation, assistive technology research and global care strategies. The OTWorld World Congress thus brings together the entire range of training opportunities for all stakeholders in orthopaedic treatment and care under one roof.
Source: OTWorld 2026 World Congress
Image: Canva
