MedTech Outlook | Friday, December 09, 2022
Digital PT has likely emerged as the future of physiotherapy, with varied benefits like ease of accessibility, increased convenience, etc.
FREMONT, CA: Digitised healthcare services existed even before the pandemic that has likely managed to gain momentum in recent years, emerging as a readily accessible service. However, choosing dependable virtual physical therapy that provides a variety of benefits to individuals is critical to maintaining a healthy living state. Generally, telehealth covers a wide range of medical care services, facilitated in remote mode via technology-driven sources. Wherein, digital physical therapy (PT) underlines the physical therapy services favoured via digitised platforms like websites and smartphone applications, connecting patients to therapists in real-time with no queues and other hindrances.
A digital PT facilitates the enhanced convenience of telehealth while deliberately offering services similar to an in-person visit. That is, patients are examined by a licenced physical therapist to evaluate their physical abilities and challenges, thereby conducting an intense discussion on their personal goals. As a result, therapists build a customised exercise programme for patients that fits their routine, with consistent follow-up via smartphones.
Physical therapists are readily available for addressing patients’ doubts and for modifying exercises in digital PT applications. It harnesses sensors built into mobile phones combined with sophisticated science to facilitate real-time data collection and track progress while providing enhanced visibility for patients per their recovery chart.
However, leveraging digital PT comes with its own set of assumptions based on its ability to be implemented into people's daily lives. It enables controlling the postures, time, and place to carry out exercises, empowering miniature and consistent measures towards overall health and recovery. That is, patients are facilitated with easy access to complete exercise programmes from the application, thereby enabling them to view demonstrative videos, irrespective of the patient’s time and place. This also eliminates the need for fancy equipment, wearables, gym memberships, and trips to clinics, facilitating improved physical therapy at home.
Following the pandemic's advent, people have likely transformed their preferences from in-person appointments to virtual diagnosis and treatments, per the convenience and affordability it proffers. Hence, a digitised PT has emerged as a solution to tackle the cancellation of appointments, especially on account of weather, tiredness, or a hazardous scenario. That is, it enables easier physical therapy counselling, teaching, and monitoring of postures and exercises in real time.
Therefore, digital PT is a focused form of physiotherapy care that enables tailored physical therapy solutions for patients, suiting their bodies accordingly. Similarly, it offers easy access to data to monitor a patient's progress effectively with a combined in-person and digital PT service for a more budget-friendly outcome.