Reduced access to healthcare
Since the beginning of the COVID crisis, European countries have adopted unprecedented measures to counter the pandemic. These measures come with significant consequences on society, everyday life, and healthcare systems. The reduced access to healthcare and hospitals also impacts patients with neurological diseases. The rehabilitation and treatment must continue, despite the pandemic.
Shifts in treatment and their effects
Currently, there is a lack of access to rehabilitation resources. It includes limited patient-physiotherapist interactions, low availability of physiotherapists due to lockdown, and the fear and risk of infection while traveling. Stress and reduced physical activity may result in significant functional decline and may worsen motor and non-motor symptoms.
The rise of telerehabilitation platforms
Strategies for better self-management and innovative rehabilitation and treatment options have started to emerge. Telerehabilitation platforms present a promising solution to deliver physical, language, and cognitive rehabilitation through exercises and physicians’ support.
Managing disabling symptoms
However, the management of severely disabling symptoms, i.e., imbalance, freezing of gait, walking disabilities, cannot be cared for fully remote with telerehabilitation platforms and therapeutical measures. Additional complementary interventions are required for patients to benefit from treatment.
Therapy at home with Therapeutic Device
Gondola Medical Technologies has developed a home-based therapy based on Automated Mechanical Peripheral Stimulation (AMPS). It is a sensory therapy that improves walking disorders after a neurological disease.
How to get the Gondola Home Device
Thanks to the homed-based solution, the physiotherapist-patient interactions are limited to two in-person visits. A first visit to test if the patient responds to the treatment and a second to validate the results and scan the patient’s feet to personalize the device. Once the Home Device is set-up and adjusted to the patient, self-treatment takes place at home. The treatment lasts two minutes and to be repeated two to three times a week. It fosters the physiological walking pattern and improves daily life mobility.
At Gondola Medical Technologies, we hope that this solution facilitates home-based therapy for patients in need.
REFERENCE:
- Helmich RC, Bloem BR. The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Parkinson’s Disease: Hidden Sorrows and Emerging Opportunities. J Parkinsons Dis. 2020;10(2):351-354. doi:10.3233/JPD-202038
- Leocani L, Diserens K, Moccia M, Caltagirone C; Neurorehabilitation Scientific Panel of the European Academy of Neurology-EAN. Disability through COVID-19 pandemic: neurorehabilitation cannot wait. Eur J Neurol. 2020;27(9):e50-e51.doi:10.1111/ene.14320
- Bersano A, Kraemer M, Touzé E, et al. Stroke care during the COVID-19 pandemic: experience from three large European countries. Eur J Neurol. 2020;27(9):1794-1800. doi:10.1111/ene.14375
- Wang CC, Chao JK, Wang ML, et al. Care for Patients with Stroke During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Suggestions for Preventing Secondary Stroke. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. 2020;29(11):105182. doi:10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2020.105182
