7 New and Exciting Innovations in Rehab Therapy

Rehab therapy has always been at the forefront of health care, helping individuals regain strength, mobility, and independence, but that has not always been the case when it comes to innovations in rehab therapy. Sometimes sticking with the tried and true long arc quads and eight minutes on the recumbent bike become too ingrained for rehab therapists to break out of their boxes and push the boundaries of patient care.

Luckily in recent years, physical therapy innovations have transformed this field to elevate patient-centered care significantly. These innovations, ranging from advanced robotics and wearable technology to virtual reality and interdisciplinary care, not only enhance treatment outcomes and the efficiency of recovery but also ensure it is more personalized, addressing the challenges and ethical considerations associated with integrating new technologies into patient care. Here are some of the newest innovations in rehab therapy:

New Physical Therapy Innovations in Rehab Therapy

1. Red Light Therapy

Light therapy continues to offer an innovative treatment modality for both medical and personal use. To put it simply, it involves applying light—in either a near- or far-infrared spectrum—to produce a positive response in cells. According to MediLodge, “Light therapy acts on light-reactive molecules in our cells called chromophores. Just like the chlorophyll in plants, chromophores trigger a cellular response when exposed to certain wavelengths of light.” This non-invasive treatment option has been shown to reduce inflammation and “increase cellular production of [adenosine triphosphate] ATP, collagen, DNA and other materials our body uses to heal.” 

For rehab therapists, red light therapy can be an asset in helping patients recover faster. Speaking from personal experience, it can also be extremely relaxing, which helps the body enter into a parasympathetic state that is ideal for healing chronic pain.

2. Wearable Technology

Wearable technology is not exactly new, but its advances, especially in the realm of stroke rehabilitation, continue to provide ample excitement. By offering insights into patient progress and facilitating precision rehabilitation, wearable technology is becoming a pivotal tool in assessing, monitoring, and engaging stroke patients in their rehabilitation process outside of a clinical setting. The technology is getting more advanced, less expensive, and more functional for everyday living.

Wearable Sensor Technology

Sensor technology—like the ones hidden in socks for pacing, cadence and foot contact in running, or worn in clothing for injury prevention and biometric data collection—has seen some of the most growth in the wearable tech field. Possibly even more exciting is the growing field of diabetic wearables for blood glucose monitoring making exercise participation safer and more effective. 

Fall Prevention Technology to Enhance Patient Engagement

Puns aside, falls are the real deal, accounting for 56% of total unintentional injury deaths in individuals aged 75 to 84. To grapple with this issue and work on prevention, a slew of fall detection devices exist today as well as a range of motion and systems to analyze and prevent future falls. Lastly in this tech space, the Hip Guard uses motion sensor technology to prevent injury to the hips should a fall occur.

3. Rehabilitation Robotics

The ever-growing robotic industry continues to excite rehab professionals. From robotic exoskeletons like the Ekso suit or systems like ReWalk, neuro-based rehab is taken to the next level for a plethora of patients. Or look at technology like robot-assisted upper extremity rehabilitation by Hocoma or Tyromotion. These devices are changing the prognosis and speed of recovery for many patients. Additionally, the use of rehabilitation robotics for training and therapy in individuals with neurological disorders is becoming increasingly prevalent. Physical therapists play a crucial role in implementing rehabilitation robotics to both improve treatment outcomes and patient outcomes.

4. Virtual and Augmented Reality

Virtual reality (VR) has been around for a little while now, but a particularly exciting aspect of VR is the gamification of rehab through it. With an expected growth in VR in health care of over 27% from 2021 to 2028, VR can enhance patient engagement and adherence, patient outcomes, pain relief and speed of recovery. Companies like Neuro Rehab VR or Virtualis VR give PTs a bevy of choice and practice variation to implement this cutting-edge tool.

VR is an exciting emerging technology, but it can sometimes be expensive or cumbersome. A similar form of patient interaction is that of augmented reality (AR). In AR, patients use devices—like their smartphones—to interact through computer-generated perceptual changes with the real world. AR also has acceptable uses for healthcare providers to interact with patients through telehealth or within the electronic medical record—it truly is an exciting frontier. Moreover, VR and AR technologies are revolutionizing rehabilitation therapy, particularly for patients with traumatic brain injuries, by offering immersive experiences that support their recovery process.

5. Diagnostic Tech in Rehab Therapy

For years, physical therapy practices have evolved significantly with the integration of diagnostic technologies, moving beyond the traditional referral loop that necessitated physicians to write prescriptions for rehab therapy. The greater acceptance of direct access and the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree has underscored the importance of using advanced diagnostic tools in the physical therapist clinic—particularly for MSK ultrasound and nerve conduction studies.

MSK Ultrasound

No, we aren’t talking about the kind of ultrasound where you rub a wand over an area of tendinitis for eight minutes and call it a day. Diagnostic ultrasound is an exciting modality for use by rehab therapists that has advanced to a point where the equipment is more accurate, more portable, and less expensive making it a perfect tool for physical therapists to use in their clinic. In an era where innovative technologies and diversified revenue streams are a necessity, MSK ultrasound is the answer.

Muscle and Nerve Conduction Studies

Another interesting and innovative way for rehab therapists to diversify their clinical offerings is through electromyography (EMG). These studies have been fairly common by neurologists and physiatrists, but with a little extra education, physical therapists who employ EMG studies in their practice can elevate their care and boost revenue at the same time.

Clinic Model Innovations in Rehab Therapy

6. Interdisciplinary Teamwork

Collaborative care may not be the newb on this list, but it deserves mention due to the innovative nature of interdisciplinary teams. An integrated care team—one that focuses on collaboration as opposed to competition—is the heart of patient-centered care. Now, whether you decide to partner with another provider within your practice or integrate with a whole other practice, you’ll need to figure out how to share data. While the entire industry is (and has been) moving toward greater interoperability, true unfettered data-sharing is still a ways out. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t inject some elements of interoperability into your current operations—for example, by using a software platform that enables easy information exchange.

Here are some specific benefits of integrated care teams:

• “They create a more well-rounded approach to care;
• “They reduce patient healthcare spending;
• “They allow for more efficient referral processes; and
• “They improve health outcomes through provider collaboration.”

7. Diversified Revenue Options

For many PTs, the days of dealing with third-party insurance companies are numbered. After all, payers have a long-standing history of undervaluing  rehab therapists. While concierge and subscription-based services are relatively new in health care, they are popping up in more and more places. Not only does this type of business model allow PTs to turn a healthy profit, but it also enables them to (usually) give more time and attention to each patient. Think of all the extra time you’d have if you weren’t trying to pack your schedule to counteract paltry insurance payments—or if you didn’t have to deal with the billing and appeals process at all. 

The challenge, of course, is that charging patients a membership fee to access your services may not work for all populations in all markets. But for those who are willing to try something new, there are notable benefits—including the potential to reduce healthcare spending in the long run by focusing on wellness before an acute issue presents. Even if you don’t think a concierge or subscription-based model is right for you, you may consider adding some cash-pay wellness services into your repertoire. (Check out this guide to learn how.) Even a handful of additional service offerings could help you provide more value to your patients and create a new revenue stream for your practice.

There you have it: seven of the newest innovations in rehab therapy. But, this list is far from exhaustive. Everyday, new technologies and innovations are being developed to help the lives of patients and rehab therapy providers alike. Need more inspiration? Check out the Anatomy of the Ideal Practice Experience and find out how a unified practice experience can elevate more than just your practice.

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