In first aid

First aid

First aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by non-expert, but trained personnel to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care...

 and triage

Triage

Triage or ) is the process of determining the priority of patients' treatments based on the severity of their condition. This rations patient treatment efficiently when resources are insufficient for all to be treated immediately. The term comes from the French verb trier, meaning to separate,...

, the walking wounded are injured persons who are of a relatively low priority. These patients are conscious and breathing and usually have only relatively minor injuries; thus they are capable of walking

Walking

Walking is one of the main gaits of locomotion among legged animals, and is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an 'inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults over the stiff limb or limbs with each step...

. Depending on the resources available, and the abilities of the injured persons, these people may sometimes be used to assist treatment of more seriously injured patients, or assist with other tasks.

This is also a term used to describe high-functioning brain injury

Acquired brain injury

An acquired brain injury is brain damage caused by events after birth, rather than as part of a genetic or congenital disorder such as fetal alcohol syndrome, perinatal illness or perinatal hypoxia. ABI can result in cognitive, physical, emotional, or behavioural impairments that lead to permanent...

 survivors because the injury isn't visible, and they appear okay. However, the disability is literally in their head. While many can perform the basic functions and effectively make it through their day, cognitive fatigue is a regular part of their daily lives. Each patient or survivor is different, and the effects of the cognitive fatigue appear based on the area of the brain that was injured. Memory, mobility, speech, thinking, balance, and fine motor skills are just some of the areas that can be affected. The energy used to perform their simple daily tasks and what would be considered regular and normal activities is substantial. While they may appear to be functioning at a normal level, the concentration needed to complete those tasks is quite exhausting. Because the walking wounded do not show any physical signs of being injured they have been left to their own means until recently. New studies and rehabilitation

Physical medicine and rehabilitation

Physical medicine and rehabilitation , physiatry or rehabilitation medicine, is a branch of medicine that aims to enhance and restore functional ability and quality of life to those with physical impairments or disabilities. A physician having completed training in this field is referred to as a...

 programs are being implemented and created.

In an emergency situation with many casualties, the walking wounded are usually the largest category of casualty.