How Advances in Technology Have and Continue to Cause Changes in Physical Therapy Practices

Physical therapy is the treatment or management of physical disability, malfunction, or pain by exercise, massage, hydrotherapy, etc. without the use of medicines, surgeries, or radiation. Throughout the years the practice of physical therapy has grown and changed substantially with advances in knowledge and technology

Physical therapy practices have grown substantially since its creation in 1881:

                Physical therapy practices began during the late 1800’s following the first polio epidemic which left 50 children physically disabled. The practice was originally referred to as “manual muscle testing” by its creator, Wilhelmie Wright. At this point in time physical therapy practice was used solely as a method for evaluating the function of muscles. Over the next 60 years the practice grew substantially and in 1946 the American Physical Therapy Association was born.  Treatment up to this point consisted mostly of exercise, massage, and traction and was only practiced in a hospital setting. In the 1950’s therapists began to move out of the hospitals and into a variety of settings such as outpatient clinics, schools, universities, and rehabilitation centers. The 1980’s brought an explosion of technology which led to serious technical changes in the practice.

An explosion of technological advances changes the way physical therapists practice rehabilitation:

New technologies have caused extreme transformations in the way therapists practice and treat patients. Examples of these new technologies include:

Isokinetic Dynamometer

• Ultrasounds- uses sound waves to generate heat in a certain area of the body
• Electric stimulators- improves range of joint movement, improves strength, local blood flow and motor control
• Iontophoresis- a small electric charge that helps to deliver medicine or chemicals through the skin
• Cold laser- strengthens and heals damaged cells; provides relief for arthritis, pain, inflammation, tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and other physical problems
• Isokinetics- the use of objects to challenge muscles through resistance and increase strength
• Video analysis software- allows therapists to view changes in movement habits over time

Changes in technology for normal health care practices can also have an effect on physical therapists. One recent advance enhances the survival of premature infants. With this advancement physical therapists must now adjust their practices to accommodate a younger patient as many of those infants will need help in order to reduce motor development delays. Other areas where physical therapy practices are growing and utilizing new technologies are cancer rehabilitation, women’s health, and wound care. 

New advances in technology will not eliminate the need for trained physical therapy professionals:

                A growing concern for many aspiring physical therapists is whether or not their training will become irrelevant in the near future with the growth of newer and more sophisticated technologies. Robotics poses a serious concern for many physicians and therapists who believe that one day these machines may be able to replace them as health care providers. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has designed and launched one the first robotic machines used to help machines rehabilitate themselves after a stroke. Known as “Interactive Motion robots” these machines are designed to work with the patients arm or leg to slowly rebuild lost brain connections. Not only does this machine assist the patients with regular movements but it can adjust to the patient’s skill level based on their stage of recovery, an important component most other computers and machines could not perform until now. Trials have also shown that the Interactive Motion robot is two times more effective than normal physical therapy practices at helping a patient regain motor control, a terrifying statistics for many therapists.

Interactive Motion Robot

                Despite these advances in technology non-experts and experts continue to assure providers that robots will never fully take the place of trained professionals. In the audio clip located at the end of this post a non-expert provides her opinion on the situation. 

                Experts also agree that advances in technology will not eliminate the need for physical therapists and some even believe they will be needed even more. The advances will enable patients to spend less time in hospitals and recover faster. Total hip and knee surgeries are relatively new procedures and are now available more readily to patients. While the surgeries can provide a better quality of life for its patients in the long run, most patients need to undergo a serious amount of rehabilitation and recovery in order to regain full control of the body segment.  Physical therapy also remains of the few positions that require effective communication, critical thinking, and physical touch of patients, skills a robot or computer cannot perform.

 

Technological advances are rapidly changing the way health care providers, specifically physical therapists, are treating their patients. Despite these advances, computers will never eliminate the need for these trained professionals. 

listen to ‘PT question- Samantha’ on Audioboo