Editorial: Highlights in medical and surgical rehabilitation 2021/22.

In the field of rehabilitation science, the number of qualitative studies published in journals of rehabilitation has increased significantly over the past two decades. The six key areas of opportunity and difficulty include paradigm shifts, advances in methodology, emerging technology, advances in quality evaluation, the growing popularity of mixed-methods approaches, and evolving approaches to knowledge translation. Qualitative research plays an important role in the development of rehabilitation science, and it is crucial that qualitative researchers and methods continue to evolve. The objective of qualitative research in medical rehabilitation is to comprehend the experiences and perspectives of patients and healthcare professionals in relation to medical rehabilitation. It entails collecting data using techniques such as interviews, focus groups, and observation, and analyzing the data to identify themes and patterns. 2 Qualitative research can provide valuable insights into the patient experience, including the patient's beliefs, attitudes, and rehabilitation-related behaviors.