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Week 4

Technology is transforming physical therapy by enabling personalized care, remote monitoring, and improved treatment accuracy. Key advancements include wearable devices, gamification, sensory rehabilitation, IoT, telerehabilitation, virtual reality, and robotic treatments, all aimed at enhancing patient outcomes and accessibility. As technology continues to evolve, it is expected to further revolutionize the physical therapy landscape.

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10 views15 pages

Week 4

Technology is transforming physical therapy by enabling personalized care, remote monitoring, and improved treatment accuracy. Key advancements include wearable devices, gamification, sensory rehabilitation, IoT, telerehabilitation, virtual reality, and robotic treatments, all aimed at enhancing patient outcomes and accessibility. As technology continues to evolve, it is expected to further revolutionize the physical therapy landscape.

Uploaded by

nestorjr.abenes
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Why is Technology Important

in Physical Therapy?
Technology has helped redefine the physical
therapy healthcare sector, largely because it gives
practitioners an ability to provide every patient with
precise, customized care. New and improved
physical therapy technology allows physical therapists to:

- Improve the accuracy of their treatment plans.


- Harvest data that can be used to customize treatment.
- Remotely monitor patient progress.
- Improve the accessibility of physical therapy treatment.
Technology is expected to continue to revolutionize the physical
therapy industry, ultimately helping practitioners work
toward improved health outcomes for their patients.

The following are just a few of the ways technology is


changing physical therapy practices and treatments:

1.The Role of Wearable Devices in PT


Wearable devices have quickly become some of the most
prominent pieces of technology in any physical
therapy practice. Wearable technology allows physical
therapists to implement their care plans remotely and
collect data about their patients in real-world settings.
These are the wearable devices
that are dominating the physical
therapy landscape right now:
SKIN SLEEVES

Skins sleeves are simple, wearable devices that can be used


by patients of all ages and abilities. Physical therapists
use skin sleeves to ensure that their patients adhere to
their treatment plan and to collect critical biometric data.
These devices are expected to continue to play an
important role in the sports performance sector, as they
allow physical therapists to track performance levels and
hone care plans to improve performance results.
SMARTWATCHES AND FITNESS TRACKERS

Smartwatches and fitness trackers are some of the most


ubiquitous physical therapy devices of our era.

The average person, whether they are enrolled in


a physical therapy care plan or not, relies on these
wearable devices to track their heart rate, log their meals,
and count their steps each day.

Within the physical therapy sector, fitness trackers and


smartwatches can play a crucial role in monitoring patient
progress and fine-tuning their treatment plan.

Physical therapists are often able to sync the sensors in the


fitness trackers and smartwatches to their own devices and
programs, allowing them to monitor range of motion and
make adaptations when needed.
SENSOR TECHNOLOGY

Perhaps the most significant development in physical


therapy technology in recent years has been sensors. Small
and discrete, these sensors can easily be placed in a variety
of high-impact areas, allowing physical therapists to
harvest biometric data and create improved health results.

Physical therapists use sensor technology in a variety of


creative ways, such as placing a sensor in a patient's sock
to evaluate foot contact or embedding a sensor in clothing
to collect data that can be used to help prevent future
injury.
FALL DETECTION DEVICES

For elderly patients, slip-and-fall accidents can be


incredibly dangerous. Fall detection devices alert
designated individuals when a patient falls, which can
improve response time for the patient and prevent serious
injury.

Thanks to recent technological advances, there are devices


available that can help prevent future falls by analyzing
patient data and alerting patients of imminent health
emergencies that may result in a fall.
2. GAMIFICATION IN PHYSICAL THERAPY

In a surprising turn of events, physical therapy has become


more fun thanks to the advent of motion-sensor gaming
technology. The practice of using video games in physical
therapy is known as gamification, and it's been heralded as
one of the best ways to make physical therapy treatment
both enjoyable and exciting for the patient.

Patients have used the Nintendo Wii's motion-sensor


controls to play sports games, such as bowling. These
games can be ideal for physical therapy because they
require patients to make similar repeat movements, which
can help with building muscle strength and improving
motion control.
Gamification has offered many benefits, such as:

1. Increasing a patient's enjoyment of physical therapy,


which improves their motivation to keep going.

2. Providing a sense of competition and camaraderie, which


also boosts motivation levels.

3. Allowing patients to continue with their exercises in the


home environment in a way that is both fun and productive.
3. SENSORY REHABILITATION
TECHNOLOGY

Patients suffering from neurologic disorders or


injuries may be suffering from sensory loss, which
can significantly impact their mobility as well as
their quality of life. Fortunately, physical
therapists have found that sensory rehabilitation
technology, when coupled with
traditional physical therapy techniques and
practices, can help improve their outcomes.
Sensory rehabilitation technology consists of both
wearable and implantable devices that can be
strategically placed to
improve sensory impairment.
These devices are commonly used by physical
therapists to:
4. IOT AND SMART EQUIPMENT

The future of physical therapy will be heavily


influence by the Internet of Things (IoT) and
smart equipment. IoT in physical therapy allows
therapists to use a variety of devices, including
wearables and sensor technology, to sync patient
data and create a customized care plan.
According to MIT, IoT and smart equipment can
be used in order to create remote physical
therapy plans that allow patients to undergo
unsupervised physical therapy. This type of
technology is changing the industry by:
Allowing physical therapists to collect biometric
data that can be analyzed and used to improve
patient care plans.
Giving physical therapists more freedom to
5. TELEREHABILITATION

Telehealth is the practice of providing virtual


health care visits to patients who are not able to
come into a physical office. It was something that
was being dabbled with in the early days of the
21st century but became the norm for many
people during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite the fact that the pandemic has subsided,


telehealth continues to play a critical role in
healthcare today — and the physical
therapy sector is no exception.

Telerehabilitation is improving accessibility,


boosting patient success rates, and ensuring that
patients stick with their physical therapy care
6. Virtual and Augmented Reality Treatment

Perhaps the most significant advances in physical


therapy technology have come in the form of virtual reality
(VR) and augmented reality (AR) treatment. The use of VR
in physical therapy and across the healthcare sector is
expected to grow by more than 25 percent by 2028, as
physical therapists learn to become more dependent on
immersive, computer-generated environments that can
improve patient treatment and boost patient motivation
levels.

For example, a patient who is enjoying VR physical


therapy may have the ability to put on a VR headset and
complete their exercises while surrounded by peaceful
natural scenes. Perhaps they could be embattled in a
competitive gaming environment in which they have to use
specific motions that are part of their physical treatment
care plan. Many physical therapists are finding that by
blending VR technology with gaming advances, they can
make their treatments more appealing and ultimately
7. Robotic Physical Therapy Treatments

Robotic physical therapy treatments are also anticipated to


increase in volume in the coming years, with the
robotic technology market in this sector expected to grow
46 percent by 2026. Robotic technology has become
especially vital when caring for patients who have issues
with their lower extremities and can help with joint
mobilization and gait improvement.

Some benefits of using robotic technology in physical


therapy include:

1. Reducing the time and cost of advanced physical


therapy care for patients with significant mobility issues.
2. Increasing the therapeutic prescription to allow for more
movements and repetitions, something that can be time-
consuming for physical therapists when performed
manually.
3. Allowing the physical therapist to collect real-time data
Thank You!!!!

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