The Latest Trends in Rehabilitation Therapy 2023

Immersive Technologies (AR/VR)

In rehabilitative care, patient participation is crucial to successful therapeutic plans. Therefore, rehab care therapists take the help of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) to increase patient involvement in their routine exercise program.

Augmented Reality (AR) is a rapidly expanding technology and is highly effective in improving balance. Thus, physiotherapists use AR combined with conventional therapy to improve stroke patients’ upper limb and lower-limb functionality balance.

AR is incorporated into Physiotherapy to improve motor and cognitive rehabilitation. It provides positive experiences to patients during Physiotherapy sessions, motivates them to engage with the procedure, and improves treatment outcomes.

On the other hand, Virtual Reality (VR) has become an integral part of the rehab care field. The application of VR in rehabilitation has proven to be highly effective. Therapists use this technology to restore the functions of the disabled body part. Virtual Reality is used to make rehabilitative therapy more engaging. It ensures maximum patient participation in therapeutic  Home Exercise Programs (HEP) for better outcomes. VR is mainly implemented in Hand Therapy to restore hand motion functions such as reaching an object, manipulating it, and coordinating with both hands’ movements.

The next-generation VR helps to enhance patient interaction with the 3D-virtual environment, restores balance, and improves hand posture. ^{(1), (2)}

Telehealth/ Telerehabilitation

The demand for remote therapy is increasing even after the Covid-19 pandemic. Physiotherapists and hand therapists are adding remote services to their OPD practices. Telerehabilitation eliminates the demographic limitations between patients and therapists. In addition, patients get quick assistance from their therapists through telehealth. 

Telerehabilitation also increases patient engagement and compliance in a passive way because patients get treatment from their comfort zone or known environment, which eventually helps to increase the functional outcome of the treatment.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a boon for medical science because it can provide valuable real-time feedback. This real-time feedback feature helps improve the effectiveness of Home Exercise Programs (HEP) and guides therapists to plan routine exercises in a targeted way. In addition, many rehabilitative equipment companies use AI to develop mechanical rehabilitation devices that interact with each part of the human upper limb, such as hands, wrists, and arms, and assist patients in performing each movement correctly.

AI-based robots can retrieve massive amounts of data and sense the subtle progress of the patient.  Therapists collaborate with AI-based robots to make their therapeutic programs more effective. AI-based robots fine-tune each movement of a patient and provide real-time feedback. 

Medical Robotics

Medical Robotics in rehabilitation is gaining a lot of attention because of its significant advantages. Experts integrate medical robotics to make Home Exercise Programs (HEP) more thorough, intensive, and result-oriented. Moreover, robotics in rehab care resolves manual limitations and helps therapists build more engaging, accessible, and customized therapeutic programs.

Internet of Things (IoT)

IOT stands for Internet of Things. When discussing the latest trend in rehabilitation in 2023, we can’t miss IOT. Recently, it has been trending in rehab care because it connects a device to the Internet. This connection allows necessary information to be passed quickly through the Internet and improves the quality of the therapy.

IoT integration in rehabilitation devices transforms them into a wireless system and lets them connect to several machines. The Stroke Rehabilitation System is an example of a rehabilitation system supported by IOT. IOT helps therapists to make well-informed decisions by retrieving crucial data.

Gamification

Patient participation is essential in any rehabilitative field because it augments the quality of care. To increase patient participation and improve consistency, rehab care experts use Gamification. It is a patient engagement technique that generates entertainment for patients.

Gamification complements traditional therapy by making it engaging and motivating. Advanced Gamification, combined with robotics and AI, can also increase exercise intensity and provide real-time feedback to users through live data tracking.

Squegg, the intelligent grip strengthener, is integrated with Gamification. A Bluetooth-enabled digital dynamometer helps users assess, track, and improve their grip strength. In addition, Squegg is featured with in-app games and fun exercises to increase patient engagement and compliance.

Squegg makes hand therapy exercises easier, highly engaging, and super convenient for users. Moreover, integrating gaming technology in upper extremity therapy sessions helps patients engage, collaborate, share, and these facilities boost patients’ participation in ongoing treatment.