Musculoskeletal conditions and injuries-including carpal tunnel syndrome and tennis elbow-can affect More than half Of Americans 18 and older, and nearly three-quarters of Americans 65 and older. As our modern lifestyles become more sedentary, we can expect these numbers to rise, because sitting in front of a computer all day can cause tendinitis, repetitive strain, low back pain, and other diseases.
Many people with chronic pain and injuries turn to physical therapists for treatment and relief.according to Position paper The American Physical Therapy Association announced, “As an important member of the medical team, physical therapists play an important role in preventing and managing pain; chronic diseases and conditions, such as diabetes, stroke, long-term Covid, and obesity; and their impact on personal quality of life And the impact of the community’s ability to work.”
Unfortunately, the United States is facing a shortage of physical therapists across the country.according to data Data from the Federation of State Physiotherapy Committees shows that as of 2019, there are 312,716 licensed physiotherapists and 127,750 licensed physiotherapist assistants in the United States.Estimates show that due to growing demand, the country will need an additional 27,000 physical therapists by 2025. The shortage of clinicians in rural communities is so severe that several senators have already Proposed a bipartisan bill This will enable physiotherapists to qualify for the National Health Service Corps, a student loan repayment program that encourages medical professionals to practice in underserved areas of the country.
The good news is that physical therapists can take advantage of recent technological advancements to help them provide care for their growing patient population. These include wearable sensors that can measure, track, and provide feedback on customers’ rehabilitation. Patients can use these technologies in clinics and at home, and share feedback directly with their clinicians.
These innovations are particularly useful because after assessing their current musculoskeletal state through a series of joint range of motion measurements and tests, physical therapists usually send their clients home for a series of exercises designed to strengthen healthy exercise patterns. The therapist will demonstrate these rehabilitation exercises in the clinic, but the patient is responsible for completing these exercises at home.
However, even if there are printouts or a set of videos of demonstration exercises, customers will find that it is difficult for them to perform the exercises correctly without the personal guidance of the therapist. Some people find these exercises repetitive, tedious, and even painful, which may cause them to skip the course.it Has been reported Approximately 20% of physical therapy patients withdrew from treatment during the first 3 visits, and 70% failed to complete the entire treatment process. There are many reasons for this attrition—including the cost of treatment and the fact that patients often find it difficult to measure their progress and imagine their position on the road to recovery—but the lack of extra-clinical support is certainly part of it.
In the past few years, attempts to use technology to fill this gap have failed to adequately solve this problem. On the one hand, the available tracking sensors are not advanced enough to provide accurate data for physical therapy applications, and telecommunications technology cannot enable secure telemedicine appointments. It can be said that the market is not ready. In those days, before Fitbit became ubiquitous, consumers were not familiar with using wearable devices to track health-related data.
However, the use of wearable fitness trackers, heart health sensors and sleep trackers has now been widely adopted, laying the foundation for further innovation. In addition, the Covid-19 pandemic has rapidly accelerated the development and implementation of digital healthcare.
New advances in sensing technology will stimulate further innovation in the field of physical therapy and help fill in the guidance gaps that exist between clinical meetings. For example, in recent years, physical therapists have acquired new wearable tracking systems that enable them to measure and evaluate joint mobility more effectively, while helping to guide and motivate patients to perform rehabilitation exercises.
Customers take sensors home to track and measure the quality of completed exercises and get instant feedback on their progress. The tracking system can tell them whether they have performed the exercises correctly and allow them to see tangible results as their “scores” increase.The latest technology has further increased the customer’s participation in the rehabilitation program through the following methods Gamification process. With this additional motivation, customers have additional motivation to complete their rehabilitation exercises and adhere to their treatment plan.
With the advancement of this technology, these devices will become more and more complex, providing therapists with more detailed and accurate insights that are both operational and related to their established clinical workflow. From the patient’s perspective, any new system that emerges needs to provide adequate feedback on their completion of rehabilitation exercises and help them monitor their progress, but most importantly, they need to be involved.
After all, the goal is to make it easier for patients to complete the entire care process, including the parts they must complete outside the clinic. Studies have shown that patients who continue to receive treatment are more likely to recover from injuries and get relief from pain and other chronic diseases. By adopting the latest technology, clinicians can help their patients stay on track-not only to achieve their treatment goals, but to live healthier and more fulfilling lives.
Photo: mrspopman, Getty Images
