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Modern technologies to support rehabilitation

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Modern technologies to support rehabilitation

PantherMedia

Rehabilitation

Modern technologies are appearing more and more in our everyday life and are eagerly used by us. It is important to note that medicine, too, is reaching for technical innovations, making the process of diagnosis or treatment much faster and more effective. By using rehabilitation robots, therapists can increase the efficiency of their work by intensifying rehabilitation interventions.

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Rehabilitation, understood as: activities that enable a person with a disability to reach an optimal intellectual, physical and social level of functioning and the use of technical equipment to achieve this level [1], is one of the 3 main goals of the World Programme of Action on Disability, developed by the UN in 1982. Rehabilitation, next to prevention and equalisation of opportunities, has become a significant element in the management of people with disabilities. According to the WHO definition of health, health is a certain overall physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease [1]. Hence, loss of health (the onset of illness or injury) can result in a reduction in a person's performance and functioning in many areas, including the physical sphere [1].

Rehabilitation and modern technology

The use of modern technologies in the rehabilitation process (mainly physical rehabilitation), has led to a kind of automation of neurorehabilitation. Thus, rehabilitation robots have become the result of specialists' work, including the Polish neurorehabilitation robot, which is used in the process of therapy and rehabilitation of people after stroke, in 20 countries around the world. The robot's operation is based on the use of electromyography during training of the sensorimotor cortex, which effectively supports the process of forming new nerve connections. The task of the rehabilitation robot in this case is to pick up and capture the muscle tension signal, using EMG electrodes, and assist in the process of improving this signal. The basis for a fast recovery, in fact, is training - the multiplicity and intensity of repetitions has the greatest impact on the formation of new nerve connections and thus a faster recovery. The active participation of the patient in this process is very important, and with the help of modern technology, the neurplasticity of the brain is increased [2].

Use of the robot

The use of a rehabilitation robot is justified when the patient is diagnosed with neurological paresis, post-stroke, spinal cord injury or neurodegenerative disease, but also when rehabilitating a limb after orthopaedic treatment. The main aim of such rehabilitation is to intensify and improve functionality - increasing muscle strength, improving mobility or motor coordination. Moreover, this type of rehabilitation also allows so-called passive rehabilitation to be carried out, hence it can be used in patients lying down, in the first phase of the therapeutic-improvement procedure [2].

The role of the therapist

However, we should not forget the therapist, whose role is crucial in the whole process - it is the therapist who "gives the command"- the robot carries it out, thus improving the whole therapy process. Nevertheless, the experience and knowledge of the person who has the rehabilitation robot tool in their hands is very important [2].