ONLINE REHABILITATION - CAN IT BE REPLACED BY A TRADITIONAL APPROACH?

The reality we live in has changed significantly since spring 2020. It is hard to talk about a return to normal at the moment. Initially, even the use of such health-related services as physiotherapy was very difficult. Currently, the activity of sanatoriums and spa centers has been suspended, except in cases where the cessation of services may seriously deteriorate the patient’s health. For many institutions and patients, online rehabilitation is the solution in pandemic times. A controversial idea, but as it turns out – very effective in some cases.

It is a set of activities on the rehabilitator-patient line that can be performed without the need for direct contact. Belong to them:
– training – individual help, counseling, instruction, basic therapy planning
– evaluates and monitors the progress – thanks to this, it is possible to check the effectiveness of the therapy and whether it requires any corrections
– therapy – using all technological possibilities to conduct full therapy with the patient, including exercise, relaxation, and self-therapy

At a time when providing similar assistance in the non-basic variant is limited, online rehabilitation in the form of teleconsultations or Skype calls, WhatsApp is sometimes the only option. A patient instructed by a rehabilitator performs exercises. At the same time, it is an opportunity to share changes in health with a qualified person. This allows for the ongoing correction of the rehabilitation plan and its adaptation to the changing disease conditions of the person using the services.

This type of activity not only has a positive effect on the patient’s health but also prevents diseases resulting from changing the lifestyle to a more “closed” and sedentary. It is an effective method of working on a healthy spine or general strengthening of the body.

Online rehabilitation is something different than traditional. The vast majority of the patient is forced to perform independent exercises or with the help of an unqualified relative. This means that the plan prepared in advance by the instructor requires changes, adjusting the specificity of exercises to the conditions. This, in turn, means that the exercises that can be performed may be less effective than those done directly with the help and supervision of a physiotherapist.

Online rehabilitation also prevents more accurate diagnoses. In the case of consultation with a new, previously unknown patient, it may be necessary, for example, to undergo a palpation examination. It is then worth going to the GP, taking the test, and signing up for consultations in a “physical” form.