CHICAGO, Ill. (Ivanhoe Newswire) – Almost 1.7 million people will undergo a knee or hip replacement this year. Recovery is quicker than ever before. And now, new technology is allowing patients and their doctors to track their progress without coming into the office. MyMobility app
Denise Erhart says, “In the summer I do biking, a little bit of swimming. A lot of hiking and walking and some golf.”
But it was Denise’s job that caused her to live in unbearable pain.
“I was a nurse in the hospital setting for 40 years, so my knees took a lot of wear and tear.” Denise explains.
After living in pain for two years, Denise opted for a total knee replacement.
Orthopedic surgeon, Jeffrey Declaire, performed the procedure and offered a unique way to track her progress through her apple watch.
“It will track step counts, stride length, heart rate, and a variety of other data points that we don’t normally track as a surgeon.” explains Jeffrey DeClaire, M.D. Orthopedic Surgeon, Founder, Michigan Knee Institute.
Doctor Declaire is one of the first to use the MyMobility app, a remote patient monitoring method, to give him real data on what his patients are and are not doing.
“We can send text messages, photos and video. We track this data daily, and real time, which we can intervene at any point to see how a patient is progressing.“ says Doctor Declaire.
Denise says, “So many times it’s hard to get ahold of the person you really wanna talk to and to get that rapid response back was incredible.”
Denise believes it helped her recover faster and …
She says “It’s great now. I have no pain when I walk.”
She’s now ready to get back doing all the things she loves.
Doctors say the benefits of the program include improved patient satisfaction and possible savings, since patients don’t need to participate in traditional physical therapy programs. In addition, data collected will help researchers determine the types of patients who benefit from at-home rehabilitation guided by advanced technology. The app is free to patients who had knee or hip replacement from physicians who utilize it.
The clinical trial is ongoing. To find a site near you, log on to ZBmymobility.com.
Contributors to this news report include: Marsha Lewis, Producer; Roque Correa, Editor.
Sources:
https://www.popb.md/2021/11/19/knee-replacement-surgery-statistics-you-should-know/
MYMOBILITY APP: NEW TECH HELPING HIP & KNEE REPLACEMENT PATIENTS
RECOVER FASTER
REPORT #3002
BACKGROUND: Arthroplasty, also known as joint replacement, is a surgery to replace a damaged joint with an artificial joint. This joint can be made of metal, ceramic, or plastic. The entire joint is typically replaced rather than replacing only the damaged part of the joint. The most common joints to be replaced are hips, knees, and shoulders. Before surgery, sometimes several tests are needed to evaluate overall health such as blood work, an electrocardiogram, and a chest X-ray. Some procedures require a CT scan or MRI for surgical planning. A new joint usually lasts about ten to 15 years, but results are different for everyone after surgery. If the joint replacement wears out after 15 years, it may be possible to revise it with a new joint.
(Source: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/21649-arthroplasty-joint-replacement)
A NEW APP TO AID IN RECOVERY: A new app that uses Apple technology connects patients and their surgical teams to deliver continuous data to optimize patient care and outcomes. This was one of the largest evidence-gathering clinical studies in orthopedic history. The study was designed to assess the impact of the app on outcomes and overall costs for joint replacement patients. During the study, patients used Zimmer Biomet’s mymobility app with their iPhone and Apple watch. Researchers combined patient-reported feedback with continuous health and activity data to guide patients through pre- and post-op care and gain new insights that impacted the standard of care for these common surgeries. This new technology gives patients convenient notifications that make it easy for them to know and follow through on their individual recovery plan. Through mymobility, patients can access their rehabilitation exercises via videos on their iPhone.
(Source: https://www.panoramaortho.com/zimmer-biomet-mymobility-apple-watch-clinical-study/)
NEW TREATMENT USES STEM CELLS: A study that turned human stem cells into cartilage cells shows promise for repairing damaged joint tissue. The findings provide a potential new therapeutic strategy that may help repair damaged cartilage and prevent osteoarthritis. Researchers used a breed of miniature pig that is often used to test potential therapies. They modified stem cells and implanted them into experimentally damaged knees, which led to integration of the implanted stem cells and repair of the damaged cartilage. After six months, the repaired tissue had all the physical and molecular characteristics of undamaged cartilage, and even got thicker and more compressible which are qualities that help cartilage to cushion the joints. The study also found that the injected cells caused the pig’s own body to start making cartilage cells to further help in damage repair. Scientists recommend when moving into human clinical trials, health care providers should screen patients carefully to determine who may have an immune reaction. Future studies will determine whether the successful repair of the cartilage reduces joint pain. However, scientists feel this new technique is a significant step toward better therapies for joints with damaged cartilage.
(Source: https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/stem-cell-strategy-repairing-joint-damage-shows-promise-pig-model)
* For More Information, Contact: Lisa Stafford
lisa@staffordcommunications.com
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