How New Technology Is Improving Physical Therapy

Johnny G. Owens, Michelle R. Rauzi, Andrew Kittelson, Jeremy Graber, Michael J. Bade, Julia Johnson, Dustin Nabhan

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose of Review: As rehabilitation patient volume across the age spectrum increases and reimbursement rates decrease, clinicians are forced to produce favorable outcomes with limited resources and time. The purpose of this review is to highlight new technologies being utilized to improve standardization and outcomes for patients rehabilitating orthopedic injuries ranging from sports medicine to trauma to joint arthroplasty. Recent Findings: A proliferation of new technologies in rehabilitation has recently occurred with the hope of improved outcomes, better patient compliance and safety, and return to athletic performance. These include technologies applied directly to the patient such as exoskeletons and instrumented insoles to extrinsic applications such as biofeedback and personalized reference charts. Well-structured randomized trials are ongoing centered around the efficacy and safety of these new technologies to help guide clinical necessity and appropriate application. Summary: We present a range of new technologies that may assist a diverse population of orthopedic conditions. Many of these interventions are already supported by level 1 evidence and appear safe and feasible for most clinical settings.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)200-211
Number of pages12
JournalCurrent Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine
Volume13
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 1 2020

Keywords

  • Biofeedback
  • Blood flow restriction
  • Exoskeleton
  • Instrumented insoles
  • Musculoskeletal ultrasound
  • Patient-centered care

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