Kenny, ‘Sister’ Elizabeth

Australian ‘Sister’ Elizabeth Kenny (1880–1952) is most remembered for the contributions she made to the rehabilitation of children with poliomyelitis and to the development of physical therapy for neurological rehabilitation in general. ‘Sister’ Kenny's approach to rehabilitation following poliomyelitis combined physical and psychological techniques. Instead of previously employed immobilization and bracing, the physical methods she employed included the labor-intensive application of moist warm wraps for muscle spasms, passive range of motion, and massage. These physical methods were effectively combined with early mobilization, coupled with strong encouragement to achieve both functional independence and a prompt return to normal activities, leavened with confident optimism for improvement. The Kenny methods were widely adopted in the US and elsewhere in the 1940s (although not in Australia). Kenny's approach represented a significant advance in the care of paralyzed patients and helped foster the growth of physical therapy and physical medicine and rehabilitation.