More motivated patients through digital therapy for MS
Sauerlandklinik – Neurological Special Clinic for Multiple Sclerosis
More time, more repetitions, more motivation: Digital therapy for MS in use at Sauerlandklinik Hachen
In the acute neurological clinic in the Sauerland region of North Rhine-Westphalia specializing in multiple sclerosis, patients are cared for in six specialist areas. These include physiotherapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, music therapy, and nursing.
In physiotherapy, Gabriele Buchstein and her team offer patients a therapy concept targeted to multiple sclerosis. This includes established therapies on a neurophysiological basis (KG CNS) combined with the most modern forms of treatment. “The combination of these established therapies with new-age interventions such as specific treadmill training, therapeutic climbing is very effective in scientific studies in recent years,” the clinic website states.
These modern interventions also include offers from the field of digital movement therapy and telerehabilitation, whereby rehabilitation services can also be offered across existing spatial and temporal distances (cf. Fraunhofer Fokus: Report Telerehabilitation 2015).
Gabriele Buchstein
Head Physiotherapist Sauerlandklinik Hachen, Germany
“We have significant time savings with Pixformance. After a mere 30-minute briefing, patients can train independently under supervision. This means that more patients can be cared for at the same time and, for example, documentation can even be done along the way.”
| Clinic Profile | |
| Location | Hachen, North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Founded | 1964 |
| Main Focus | Multiple Sclerosis |
| Patient Capacity | 125 beds |
| Therapy Direction | Gabriele Buchstein |
| More Info | www.sauerlandklinik-hachen.de |
In standardized physiotherapeutic admission therapy, patients first define treatment goals together with the responsible therapist. This is followed by the creation of an individual treatment plan in consultation with the patient. At this point, possible applications from digital therapy for MS are also incorporated into the therapy plan. This includes intensive physiotherapy applications daily.
To expand the range of physiotherapy and digital movement therapy and offer patients additional training motivation, Buchstein and her colleagues decided to use Pixformance last year.
After successfully testing the rehabilitation equipment, two of the training stations were purchased. Currently, about 30 patients in Hachen are exercising in front of the Pixformance station. The patients have different walking abilities. The only prerequisite is a certain degree of mobility, i.e., people without any trunk control or too much paralysis cannot use the equipment. However, training in a wheelchair is not a problem. In addition to the more than 200 functional exercises that can be customized, the clinic has also worked with Pixformance to develop its exercises for the station, which are optimally tailored to the clinical picture and the needs of MS patients.
Independence for the patients, relief for the therapists
After a short briefing, patients can already train independently on the rehab sports equipment. A contact person is always nearby but can also devote time to other patients or documentation.
“Any age group can also use the Pixformance stations. That’s great that so many patients can benefit from the training as long as their cognitive abilities allow. And by saving time, it’s ultimately not only the patients who benefit, but also us effectively,”, Buchstein says.
The decision was made last year in favor of an innovative, digital device like the one from Pixformance is no coincidence. After all, the topic of digitalization plays a significant role at the Sauerland Clinic. Several modern devices have already been purchased. The physiotherapeutic manager also mentioned the study situation on the internal and external focus of attention.
“Unlike internal attentional focus, where you guide the patient in persona, for example, telling them, ‘Raise your arm’ and giving them assistance, pixformance training is an external attentional focus.”
The patient receives the exercise instruction externally through the ward. Therefore, he is no longer as focused on his own body but pays more attention to the exercise performance in the Pixformance Station. That makes for a more significant improvement effect.
“It’s like playing games, and sometimes you don’t notice how time passes either. And that’s scientifically based, that the movements are thus performed more reflexively, and you improve significantly,”, Buchstein says of the benefit of digital movement therapy for MS through Pixformance.
Digital therapy for MS leads to more repetitions and faster therapy success
Gabriele Buchstein sees another great advantage in the noticeable motivation of the patients through the possibility of constantly increasing the number of repetitions. Because it has been scientifically proven: the training effect increases significantly with the number of repetitions.
“The great thing about Pixformance is: that the station encourages patients to do more repetitions. The patients are enthusiastic and very motivated, which admittedly is not often the case. Of course, we as therapists also benefit from this, as it helps the patients perform their exercises better and more purposefully.”
The digital rehab sports equipment supports the patients to more independence and movement. This is also where the Pixformance app can come in. However, this has only been used sporadically in the MS specialty clinic so far. However, Gabriele Buchstein expressed confidence in talking to us that this could change in the future: “Of course, it would be nice to see whether patients continue to exercise at home. So it’s a future goal to continue to care for patients at home even after their stay in the hospital.”
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