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Physiotherapists to utilise motion sensors?

Wednesday 17th September 2008

People with physiotherapy jobs may begin using motion sensors as a means of aiding patient recovery, it has been revealed.

A team of scientists at Oxford University are currently involved in tests to establish whether such technology can help medical professionals monitor improvements in upper body movements, the BBC reports.

They aim to show that motion sensors can be used to assess the range of movements patients possess and to help physiotherapists tailor their exercises accordingly.

"We hope to break down useful movements - anything from handling money to tying shoelaces - into different elements that can be quantified and then assessed against standardised measures based on current clinical tests," stated research leader Dr Penny Probert Smith.

In related news, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy recently spoke out about the UK's record on the health and safety of workers, saying there is still an "unreasonably high" rate of workers being seriously and fatally injured.