Physiotherapy news and trends by Sabra Pegler right now: As the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) concludes the celebration of its centennial year (2021), the physical therapy profession looks back on a dynamic history of change and development in the last 100 years. By nature, the field is ever-evolving: what began as a small group of technicians trained on the job in post-war hospitals has since expanded into a work force of over 230,000 university educated professionals and more than 280 educational programs offering doctoral-level training for the next generation of clinicians.
As Facebook becomes “Meta,” Apple works on new VR headsets, and Nvidia promises us artificial intelligence that will power a future in the “Metaverse” many PTs are left wondering, “What role will VR play in physical therapy?” Right now, there’s more than just buzz about the combination of VR and physical therapy. In a 2019 study, researchers measured the effects of virtual reality technology on a small group of patients experiencing problems with balance and gait due to Parkinson’s disease. The group of individuals using VR tech experienced “significantly better performance compared with the conventional physical therapy group.” It’s easy to see why, as patients who enjoy VR can often move past mental barriers to recover more efficiently. Companies like XRHealth are already offering virtual care using augmented reality. Patients receive VR headsets in the mail and train with physical therapists to recover from specific injuries independently. Read additional info at https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/people/?keywords=sabra%20pegler.
Zero gravity chairs have become increasingly popular in recent years and can now be found in nearly every recreational, furniture, and specialty store on the market. It is possible to purchase various zero gravity chairs, ranging from outdoor or lawn chairs to indoor, living room recliners made of leather and other luxurious fabrics. Relax The Back sells zero gravity chair recliners online, and you can also visit a Relax The Back store in person to try out a variety of different chairs. If your zero gravity chair allows it, you may be able to manually achieve a reclined position by pushing your weight back in it. This will depend on the model. As you lean back in your zero gravity chair, the footrest will extend at the same time, elevating your legs into alignment with your heart and allowing you to feel more relaxed.
Physiotherapy news and trends from Sabra Pegler today: The growing use of advanced technology: New technologies (such as augmented reality and artificial intelligence) are driving rehabilitation and physical therapy innovation. Promising studies over the last two years have shown that Augmented Reality (AR) is effective for hand rehabilitation and improves balance among older adults. AR can also be used to gamify and transform what would otherwise be mundane and routine exercise into fun and engaging activities. For example, an AR-based physical therapy exercise could involve showing patients floating boxes on a screen that serve as targets to encourage them to stretch and reach high enough to touch the box and complete the motion.
Studies reported follow-ups ranging from one to sixteen weeks, with a few reporting follow-ups lasting from six months to a year or more. Static lower back traction alone or in conjunction with other treatments, such as sham (fake) treatment, exercise, laser, ultrasound, and corsets, is no more successful in treating low back pain than physiotherapy without traction. Regardless of whether or not you have sciatica, these findings hold. When it came to the sort of traction used, there was no difference (manual or mechanical). In the 32 clinical trial and researches, were no documented negative side effects from using lower back traction at home, in the clinics or hospitals. Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Therapy with Lumbarest mat is a natural traction therapy that stretches the spine gently; resulting in a change of force and position of the spine and turn relieves the spinal discs and nerves of the pressure causing the pain in the first place.
At the start of the pandemic, 72% of owners of Physical Therapy Clinics experienced revenue losses in excess of 50% at some point. It’s been a long and slow road to recovery. But the challenges of the pandemic also pushed physical therapy forward in ways that are here to stay. Being aware of these five key physical therapy trends will help your clinic remain competitive in 2023. The rise of telehealth services: As of July 2021, the use of telehealth was 38 times higher than pre-pandemic levels, and by November 2021, 55% of patients said they were more satisfied with telehealth/virtual care visits than with in-person appointments.