Robotic Rehabilitation in Poland
Injuries or diseases often disrupt the functions of the body. Memory impairment, speech, paralysis, movement restrictions, and depression are frequent companions of the main problem. As a result, the patient needs rehabilitation.
Modern programs and techniques can help to recover, even with severe injuries. For example, robotic rehabilitation in leading clinics in Poland significantly accelerates patients' return to daily life.
Rehabilitation in Poland: What is the secret of popularity?
Rehabilitation is a set of procedures to restore health after illness or injury. It is necessary in case of damage to any body functions. Poland has many robotic rehabilitation centers, including multidisciplinary and specialized clinics dealing with specific medical problems. Restorative medicine in Polish hospitals combines traditional techniques and modern developments.
According to the International Medical Tourism Chamber of Commerce, more than half a million foreigners interested in treatment visit Poland annually. At the end of 2021, 599.000 patients were treated in 258 Polish centers, and 529.000 were hospitalized. In addition, 61.000 patients underwent inpatient treatment in 43 rehabilitation centers. This number tends to increase by 10-15% annually. The great potential of this area was assessed by the Ministries of Economy and Health, which annually increase healthcare financing. Thanks to medical tourism, Polish hospitals receive significant financial resources to attract qualified doctors and conduct research. At the same time, the main factor distinguishing Polish medicine from other European countries is its accessibility.
Most often, patients of robotic rehabilitation centers have suffered a stroke, injuries, or major surgery, after which they were forced to remain motionless for a long time. Thoughtful programs allow them to restore motor activity and return to everyday life quickly. However, full recovery is not possible in all cases. Therefore, the main goal is to reduce the number and level of restrictions caused by the disease. In addition, doctors teach patients practices that allow them to cope with all kinds of restrictions on their own.
Hospitals in Poland offer an individual and comprehensive approach using various means of rehabilitation treatment (physiotherapy, massage, manual and reflexology, kinesitherapy, etc.). Robotic rehabilitation is an essential and challenging task, as restoring lost functions requires long-term work. And then, the rehabilitation robots come to help the doctors.
Unique robotic rehabilitation in Poland
Robotic complexes are widely used for rehabilitation. The first electric exoskeletons were invented for patients with spinal cord injuries in the 1970s. These systems used pneumatic or hydraulic drives. Soon, exoskeletons became good helpers for patients after a stroke.
The last decades have been marked by the rapid development of new rehabilitation robots for both upper and lower limbs. That is mainly due to the growing demand from the elderly and disabled. The United Nations estimates that by 2050, one in every six people will be over 65, compared with 1 in 11 in 2019, representing 16% of the population.
Therefore, the market for robotic rehabilitation is expanding rapidly. According to The International Federation of Robotics and Research & Markets, the global robotic rehabilitation market was estimated at $566.5 million in 2020. Furthermore, it is projected that by 2027 it will reach $2.2 billion, increasing by an average of 21.7% over the period 2020-2027. The key players in the global robotic rehabilitation market are ReWalk Robotics, Ekso Bionics, AlterG Inc., Bionik Labs, Technologies Ltd., Motus Nova, Kinova Inc., Meditouch, Wearable Robotics Srl, and Hocoma.
According to experts, robotic physical therapy will play an increasing role in rehabilitation centers: robots are stable, make fewer mistakes, and do not get tired. In addition, people using robots can recover even years after the disaster.
Modern robotic complexes:
- Equipped with special sensors that record movement data, such as the joints' position, speed, and strength.
- Have actuators for moving the patient's limb and are designed to compensate for the patient's physical capabilities.
- Guarantee the exact repetition of movement for better brain training. The number of repetitions per session in robotic rehabilitation is higher than that of a therapist.
- Collect data on the patient's condition. That allows doctors to assess progress accurately.
- Allow for high-intensity therapy leading to rapid rehabilitation progress.
A full-fledged robotic rehabilitation simulates and reproduces natural movements, which, due to the neuroplasticity of the patient's brain, leads to the activation of sensorimotor networks of the brain.
The effectiveness of robotic rehabilitation largely depends on the duration of treatment. Rehabilitation therapy takes a very long time and, therefore, is expensive. Rehabilitation in Poland is similar in quality to treatment in the USA and Germany. It is much more affordable for ordinary people.
Why Comprehensive Rehabilitation?
Rehabilitation always aims to awaken the body's forces and restore functions lost after an illness. In the process, it is essential not only to teach a patient to move and speak again but also to give him the opportunity for psychological adaptation to help him find his place in society. Therefore, robotic rehabilitation should be early, active, consistent, continuous, and comprehensive.
Robots are widely used to assist patients in recovery after:
- stroke;
- brain and spinal cord injuries;
- brain tumor;
- cerebral palsy;
- muscular atrophy;
- multiple sclerosis;
- Parkinson's disease;
- paraplegia.
Robotic rehabilitation systems perform directional, sequential, repetitive movements without fatigue. That facilitates the patient's condition after various injuries and painful procedures and helps to re-form motor skills.
Most rehabilitation robots consist of exoskeletons - external frames adapted to a specific part of the body, connected to a program for data transmission. The systems come with pre-programmed procedures and adjust to the patient's mobility level.
Exoskeletal robots for upper body rehabilitation are usually used to restore the general motor skills of the hands after loss due to stroke or traumatic brain injury. A robotic arm in the form of an exoskeleton attached to a chair and a video screen usually allows patients to perform movements under the guidance of a therapist or by video.
Exoskeleton gloves are also designed to restore the fine motor skills of the hands.
Robots with an exoskeletal gait often combine a treadmill or, in some cases, footplates and an exoskeleton. In addition, many robotic rehabilitation systems provide video tutorials that motivate patients to achieve specific goals. Some doctors claim that exoskeletons increase the effectiveness of treatment by 300%.
Advantages of robotic rehabilitation
Advanced robotics affects the brain differently than traditional therapy. There are a vast number of robotic rehabilitation systems. Each of them is unique and is aimed at solving specific tasks. The SCRIPT robotic glove, exoskeletons, G-EO, and RE-STEP simulators, the RT600 therapeutic system, and the AlterG Anti-Gravity treadmill. Thanks to these installations, people recover faster and more efficiently.
In more detail, we will talk about the main ones used for robotic rehabilitation in Polish clinics:
- HAL (Hybrid Assistive Limb) was developed by the Japanese company Cyberdyne. An exoskeleton is an external frame that attaches to the arms, legs, and torso and increases muscle strength. The HAL robotic suit is the only approved system that picks up electrical signals from the brain through the skin surface of the lower extremities and supports them. These signals are converted into movements of mechanical joints that occur synchronously with human ones. Studies have shown that a positive effect is observed in most patients with traumatic spinal cord disease during the first three months. During HAL robotic rehabilitation, muscle mass increases, and walking skills improve.
- G-EO system. The latest walking training system. The device helps patients with various physical disabilities and injuries to regain strength and mobility. The robotic rehabilitation system can simulate not only horizontal walking but also climbing stairs. Seat belts suspend patients using G-EO to take the weight off their legs. The robot makes the patients' legs move while walking. Movement helps the muscles to get stronger and the nervous system to re-master motor skills. The more the patient progresses, the more body weight his legs can support and the less help from the robot. By choosing different modes, the patient actively participates in the therapy session, which enhances its effect.
- HandTutor is a unique simulator for restoring wrist and finger mobility. Specially designed touch gloves and 3D Tutor motion sensor effectively restore hand muscle strength, precision, and movement skill.
- Pelvictrainer is a medical device for improving muscle strength and coordination and treating functional disorders of the pelvic floor. The robotic rehabilitation system is designed to treat lower back problems, pelvic pain, urinary incontinence, and sexual dysfunction erectile dysfunction and impotence).
- Noraxon Ultium is a multifunctional device that measures anatomical angles of joints, orientation angles, and linear acceleration. The object's data and movements are displayed in real-time using graphs and a skeletal avatar. The cameras transmit color video in real-time to the main computer. In addition, users are provided with customizable reports in various areas illustrating essential data collection.
Overview Constance Care Robotic Rehabilitation Center in Poland
The mission of the AiroMedical team is to help patients with neurological disorders. We help to achieve recovery, even in particularly severe and neglected cases, for patients with an unfavorable prognosis. Our company has thoroughly studied rehabilitation centers and analyzed existing research and new developments of rehabilitation robots to clarify promising areas in this area.
We are discovering new things in the field of medical technologies. One such discovery in Poland was Constance Care Robotic Rehabilitation Center. The clinic is one of the best rehabilitation centers in Poland and Europe.
The hospital helps patients with central nervous system disorders (cerebral palsy, post-stroke conditions, injuries, and neuro infections). It's also practical for car injuries, spinal surgery, and joint replacement patients.
The unique robotic rehabilitation programs for children and adults restore vital skills and improve the quality of daily life.
Since the Center is a partner of the Japanese company Cyberdyne, it offers robotic rehabilitation HAL - the only exoskeleton activated and controlled directly by the patient's nervous system - the so-called active exoskeleton. As a result of the research, it turned out that the HAL exoskeleton makes it possible to put patients moving in a wheelchair on their feet for three months. The clinic also uses the G-EO system, the HandTutor robotic rehabilitation program, and the Pelvictrainer simulator - the most advanced systems, programs, and simulators worldwide.
After treatment in the robotic rehabilitation center:
- the need for the use of auxiliary means of transportation is reduced or completely disappears;
- the sensitivity of the limbs increases;
- walking speed increases;
- neuropathic pain is reduced;
- strengthens the mass of muscles on the legs.
A team of specialists monitors each patient following an individually designed program. Thanks to individual approaches and personalized robotic rehabilitation programs, patients significantly expand their opportunities in everyday life, social and professional spheres.
Walk Again with AiroMedical
Treatment abroad is the choice of many patients whom doctors could not help at home. As a rule, the reason lies in the insufficient development of medicine. Before making a choice, it is necessary to find out with help of which systems and techniques rehabilitation therapy is carried out and how successful the measures are.
The effectiveness of therapy by at least 50% depends on the doctor's approach to the patient, how much he can personalize the treatment program, and only then on the availability of modern technology.
The AiroMedical consultant will help you choose a competent doctor for robotic therapy. We choose and offer our patients the best of the unique technologies that exist today. Our website presents clinics with unique and progressive developments, including author's programs.
The advantages of rehabilitation with us are:
- application of scientifically proven methods of robotic rehabilitation;
- implementation of the HAL exoskeleton program for active rehabilitation of patients with musculoskeletal disorders.
- strict monitoring of the patient's condition throughout the entire rehabilitation course and after its completion;
- team of experienced doctors.
For more information about robotic rehabilitation in Poland, please contact us. With the caring hands of specialists and the help of robots, thousands of patients who have suffered strokes, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal injuries have already returned to a fulfilling life.
References:
- Statistics Poland: Therapeutic activities of health resort facilities and inpatient rehabilitation
- United Nations: Ageing
- National Library of Medicine: The Rehabilitation and the Robotics: Are They Going Together Well?
- JBI Evidence Synthesis: The economic cost of robotic rehabilitation
- Robotics Business Review: Robotic Rehabilitation Systems Market Paradox and What to Do About It
- IFR: Robots help patients recover faster from stroke
