A study from the University of Manchester has found that survivors of major trauma can achieve a remarkable rate of recovery when given the right support.
The study examined a pioneering rehabilitation programme developed in response to the needs arising from the Manchester Arena bombing.
The study evaluated the Enhanced Rehabilitation Programme (ERP), a specialist multidisciplinary rehabilitation service established following the 2017 Manchester Arena attack.
The ERP provided intensive, personalised support for survivors who were still struggling with the physical and psychological consequences of their injuries more than a year after the event.
Researchers from the Universities of Salford and Manchester, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) and Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, found that participants experienced substantial improvements in physical recovery, confidence, fitness, mental wellbeing and overall quality of life.
As a result, survivors described achieving goals they once thought impossible, including walking without aids, reducing pain medication, returning to work, pursuing further education and rebuilding their independence.
Advances in trauma care mean more people than ever survive devastating injuries, but many continue to live with long-term physical, psychological and social consequences that can persist for years after discharge from hospital.
The study found that recovery after major trauma must address psychological and social wellbeing, not just physical injuries and that personalised goal-setting and progress tracking help maintain motivation and confidence throughout recovery.
The results also showed that multidisciplinary rehabilitation allows patients with complex injuries to receive coordinated support tailored to their individual needs.
However, while participants reported overall positive experiences, the study also highlighted concerns about what happens when specialist rehabilitation ends. Both patients and clinicians expressed anxieties about maintaining progress and accessing ongoing support through existing NHS services, with some describing a feeling of stepping off a rehabilitation "cliff edge" once the programme concluded.
Professor Jason Wong, Professor of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Regenerative Medicine at The University of Manchester and Consultant Trauma Surgeon at MFT, said: "This study is ultimately a story about resilience. The survivors we worked with faced life-changing injuries and experiences, yet many went on to achieve things they never thought would be possible. We saw people regain independence, rebuild confidence, return to work, improve their fitness and ultimately adopt a new healthier mindset.
"What was clear from both patients and clinicians is that recovery after major trauma involves much more than healing physical wounds. Psychological wellbeing, confidence, identity and social participation are all fundamental parts of rebuilding lives after injury.”
"Our findings show that structured, multidisciplinary rehabilitation can make a real difference, but they also highlight an important challenge. Recovery doesn't end when someone leaves hospital, and access to rehabilitation does not always provide the specialist input required.
"This is an opportunity to celebrate the extraordinary courage and determination of survivors of trauma, while recognising that many continue to need support long after their immediate injuries have healed. If we want to improve long-term outcomes, we must ensure that trauma survivors have access to sustainable rehabilitation pathways that support them throughout their recovery journey."
Paul Price, a Manchester Arena attack survivor who took part in the Enhanced Rehabilitation Programme at the Manchester Institute of Health and Performance (MIHIP) over two years, said: “The NHS saved my life and put me back together, but it was the support and specialist care I received at MIHIP that gave me the means to carry on living.
“The programme helped me rebuild not just physically, but mentally and emotionally, and showed me that recovery could mean more than simply coping — it could mean finding a way forward.”
