Robotics is among the solutions under consideration by physiotherapists to respond to their patients’ needs, especially in the light of COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Michael Gabilo, president of the Philippine Physical Therapy Association (PPTA) Inc., there are currently 32,893 registered physical therapists in the Philippines. Still, less than half of them have active registration.
Some physical therapy clinics and centres have closed down because of the country’s lockdown starting 15 March and which remains in effect until now under various forms of quarantine, affecting patients’ access to treatment and the capacity of physical therapists to earn, according to a survey conducted by the PPTA to determine the impact of COVID-19 on the practice of physical therapy.
Respondents said their patients, particularly the elderly and people with neurological conditions such as stroke, face the possibility of regression from interrupted therapeutic regimens.
Some physiotherapists have resorted to video calls to supervise exercise sessions remotely, but this does not work for patients without Internet access. Overall, the survey found that the lockdown situation has resulted in the loss of livelihoods for therapists and also the patients’ capacity to pay for therapy.
Even those who can afford home care may opt to skip treatment to avoid possible exposure. This is especially true of the elderly and those with pre-existing medical conditions—both being groups that have been identified as vulnerable to COVID-19.
“With the devolved healthcare system we have in the Philippines, health is not a priority for some local governments. Therefore, the needs of persons with disabilities are not properly addressed, particularly those concerning their physical therapy needs,” says Gabilo.
One possible solution is the robots. “In the last PPTA convention, we introduced some technological advancements that can be an adjunct in the practice of physical therapy in the clinics, particularly the use of robots,” says Gabilo. “The technology is already in the country now, though not all can avail the facilities because of the financial implications.”
A robotics project currently being developed has the possibility of being cheaper than existing imported options. Research for the ‘AGAPAY Project’, which is developed for post-stroke rehabilitation, is aimed at creating a biomimetic exoskeleton for the upper body, particularly for the shoulders, upper and lower arms, wrists and hands.
“The role of robot-assisted therapy in stroke rehabilitation is currently an adjunct to rather than a replacement for conventional rehabilitation therapy,” Rey-Matias cautions. “Robot-assisted therapy with exoskeleton devices may not be able to replace conventional physiotherapy for improving gait function in patients with stroke but is recommended for use in combination with conventional physiotherapy, preferably in the subacute stage of stroke.”
The technology used in physiotherapy need not be sophisticated, says Gabilo. “Filipino physical therapists are trained to be innovative and resourceful. When a physiotherapist is immersed in a community where the facility or clinic has limited resources, [the therapist] can improvise certain equipment to continue the service and achieve the set goals for the patient.”
