4 Ways Technology Has Improved Physiotherapy

Technology is ever-evolving, and as it continues to transform all the industries on this planet, the healthcare industry continues to thrive. It truly is a matter of survival, so the healthcare industry has greatly used technological advancements for the betterment of the patients. Physiotherapy is an effective medical treatment for chronic and acute pain. Physiotherapy treatments have also improved as physical therapists can now use technology to improve the way treatment is provided to patients. The entire experience is now much more impactful, engaging, and overall convenient, not just for the patients but also for the doctors and physical therapists. 8 million Canadians are living with chronic pain. In 2018, it was reported that 12.7% of people in Canada were using some sort of pain reliever to manage their chronic pain. The need and demand for effective physical therapy have never been higher, as it isn’t just for the ageing population but for anyone suffering from pain. Here are some ways technology has proven to be crucial for physiotherapy.

Improved Accuracy of Diagnoses

A proper and accurate diagnosis is the way to go about devising an effective treatment plan. If someone fails to receive an accurate diagnosis, they’ll be unable to find an effective treatment for their condition. Modern technology has made it possible for physical therapists to have a clear picture of the issue a patient is facing and address it promptly. They now have the tools and resources they need to improve the accuracy and results of their diagnosis and curate better treatment plans. With better treatment plans, patients can find quick solutions to their problems instead of suffering in pain for long periods. For decades, medical professionals have relied on imaging technology like CT scans, X-Rays, ultrasounds, and MRIs, which have helped them analyze a patient’s condition. Healthcare professionals are now using AI to process such images to find the problematic areas that raise concern. The technologically advanced machine learning systems can detect any areas of concern a lot faster than any human could, pointing the doctors and medical professionals in the right direction for any treatment. Another improvement in physiotherapy assessments has been because of markerless motion capture. This is a tech-driven way of analyzing and capturing a patient’s moments using machine vision. With such technology, a patient’s potential mobility issues or any improvements in their range of motion can be highlighted quickly, without using special clothing or any marker-based motion tracking.

Personalised Care

We’re all aware of the trend of personalisation in almost all industries. This is due to technology, and it has made its way into the world of physiotherapy treatments as well. All humans are different, and so are their medical situations. Patients have their unique needs and require personalised care. With the help of data analytics, all medical fields have been using technology to revolutionize personalised treatments. All the data relating to an individual patient is compared with the past data of patients with a similar case, and then the data analytics machine analyses the trends and estimates the treatment duration. With this, physiotherapists can design personalised treatment plans and identify recovery times for their patients. By using this data-driven tech, they’ll have more relevant data and improve their chances of an accurate analysis.

Cutting-Edge Treatments

Technology cannot increase a human body’s ability to heal, but it can provide support and treatments that will make the natural healing process much more effective. Air is more than 800 times less dense than water. With new technology, machines like waterproof heart-rate monitors and underwater treadmills allow physiotherapists to provide resistance training for their patients. Robotic exoskeletons are now being used to help train a patient’s muscles, limbs, and other body parts so they can move correctly.

Better Accessibility

Technology has improved the quality of treatments provided during physiotherapy and made physiotherapy more accessible. Healthcare has always been a global issue. More than 4.6 million people in Canada have limited or no access to healthcare services or facilities. Technology may not be able to solve this particular issue since there are many factors like high costs involved in making healthcare accessible. However, it has been able to provide some relief. Telehealth is now possible, and it’s one of the fastest-growing and truly promising developments. This has made healthcare accessible. Patients can now consult doctors through their phones. Doctors can conduct physiotherapy exercises through video chats, and there is no need for patients to commute long distances and wait for their appointments. Most consultations are now conducted virtually, and in-person visits are unnecessary for many things.

Book a Physiotherapy Session Online

If you’ve been meaning to consult trained physiotherapists in Canada, now’s your chance to do that.  We have a team of amazing physiotherapists who can help you out and provide you with personalised treatment plans. You can also visit our Edmonton clinic for physiotherapy sessions. Our trained physiotherapists are available for any treatment, including massage therapy, vestibular therapy, shockwave therapy, acupuncture, and more. You can also book a physiotherapist appointment to know more about our services and explore various treatment options before selecting your mode of recovery. Schedule a meeting with a physical therapist in Stony Plain or Edmonton today at our Physiotherapy clinic. You can also book a physiotherapy session online.