Explained: How a centre de rééducation can help you in France

At first glance, you could be forgiven for thinking that a centre de rééducation is a type of school or educational hub, however it is more like a physical therapy centre. 

At the last count, there were over 1,800 such establishments across the country, so chances are that there is one near you.

Whether public or private, these centres are part of the medical system in France, a place where injured patients or those with additional needs, of any age, can access medical support so that they can regain or improve physical mobility. 

It could be that you need targeted physical therapy after a car accident or back injury, or you need help with speech following a stroke. The goal of such a centre is for you to gain enough physical mobility to return to everyday activities and live autonomously, improving your quality of life. 

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What does it mean?

You might hear centre de rééducation fonctionnelle (CRF) or un établissement de soins de suite et de réadaptation (SSR), which translates to ‘subacute and rehabilitation care facilities’. 

To explain this, the stage immediately following an injury is known as the ‘acute’ stage in English. Between 72 hours and six weeks after the injury, we refer to the ‘subacute stage’, during which the body’s repair mechanisms kick in, allowing us to heal. 

Whether you are referred to a CRF or SSR, whether it is state-funded or private, and whether you are there as an outpatient or resident, their mission is to improve your physical health.

How do they help?

Each centre has a team of qualified professionals to guide you through the steps and monitor your progress. You will normally meet a specialist who will prescribe a series of exercises tailored to your condition, and you will receive a timetable of activities to follow during your stay. 

The rest of the team can include physiotherapists, speech therapists, rheumatologists, nurses and even counsellors. 

In a CRF or SSR, the range of equipment can be extensive, as they need to respond to a variety of injuries and pathologies. There will almost certainly be a swimming pool and a fitness suite containing equipment similar to what you would expect in a gym, such as exercise bikes, inflatable balls, running machines, rowing machines and weights, but the centre can also have other facilities such as archery or aquatherapy. 

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Length and cost of treatment

You could need a couple of mornings for a few weeks, or a full-time inpatient treatment for a fortnight, but each case is taken individually. 

More complex injuries that require longer medical treatments are usually referred to a different structure known as an SMR (Soins Médicaux et de Réadaptation).

The most recent figures show that 37% of SSRs are state-run, so you might find that your treatment is fully covered by public funding. Others can be privately owned, but many of these will be covered by your mutuelle (private top-up health insurance).

If you have an injury that you feel would benefit from this type of focused treatment, ask your GP for a referral.