MEDICA 2019
Usingdigital technology toenhance‘exergames’
A medical device is changing the way physical therapy is delivered, using a new approach to turn traditional physical and cognitive exercises into clinically-built interactive ‘exergames’. The Clinical Services Journal spoke to co-founder and CEO of MIRA Rehab, Cosmin Mihaiu, to find out more.
Technology exists in just about every corner of our lives. From smartphones to smart cars, and tablets and computers, and virtual assistants, the modern world is built on technology. However, technology, far more than powering social media and phones, is also revolutionising the medical world. Even more interestingly, in the world of physical therapy and rehabilitation, technology is being used to turn physical and cognitive exercise into video games.
Making physical therapy fun
The Nintendo Wii Fit is perhaps the first thing that springs to mind when you think of ‘exergaming’ (or interactive fitness) – combining exercise and video games (or, more precisely, exertion and video games). Following the popularity of these interactive games, making it fun to exercise at home, in the world of physiotherapy and rehabilitation, a revolutionary medical device is helping patients ‘play’ their way to recovery
– using clinically guided exergames. The product makes use of technology to turn exercise into video games, helping patients to regain their mobility and recover quicker from episodes of ill health or injury as well as improving the quality of life for those with long-term conditions. By ‘gamifying’ exercise, the device, described as a software platform that turns physical and cognitive exercises into clinical exergames, is helping to change the way physical therapy is delivered, which can prove a long and arduous process for those in need of rehabilitation. It encourages a more interactive and fun approach to exercise, helping to enhance patient engagement and cut recovery time.
Helping patients recover quicker
Treatment plans for physical therapy can usually prove a long and difficult process for people in need of rehabilitation. Patients are generally handed exercise instructions to follow at home on paper. As high as 70% of those patients do not comply with these plans, and physiotherapists have no way of finding out if their patients are following the prescribed treatment. Founded in 2012, digital health company,
Physiotherapy aims to maximise your body’s movement, strength and flexibility, but the effectiveness of it depends on patient
engagement and compliance with treatment. Cosmin Mihaiu, Mira Rehab
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WWW.CLINICALSERVICESJOURNAL.COM
MIRA Rehab, claims its software platform uses technology to solve this problem. Using motion tracking sensors, MIRA, which stands for Medical Interactive Recovery Assistant, is designed to make physical therapy more convenient and fun as well as easier to follow for patients, while at the same time helping clinicians to keep track of their patients’ progress at home through means of telerehabilitation. Co-founder and CEO of Mira Rehab, Cosmin Mihaiu, said: “Physiotherapy aims to maximise your body’s movement, strength and flexibility, but the effectiveness of it depends on patient engagement and compliance with treatment.
“Exergames, a core concept of MIRA, are designed to enhance this. They are fun and
NOVEMBER 2019
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