INTERESTING
In today’s ever changing world of decreased visit length and frequency, healthcare providers are continuously searching for methods to improve service delivery. For optimal outcomes after an injury, patients must achieve independence with their home programs in a shorter time post injury.
Clinicians may consider using smartphones as an intervention in the hand therapy setting. Hand therapists can assist with appropriate biomechanics and provide guidelines for timeframes a patient should devote to device use. Smartphone applications can be used to improve specific motor skills as well as for logging activity and setting reminders to help achieve goals. Incorporating smartphone use in hand therapy may provide motivation and convenience resulting in better outcomes.
There are a variety of apps available to address many issues. Below are some applications that I have used in hand therapy to address wrist proprioception and ROM as an adjunct to the skilled therapy provided in our clinic.
• Labyrinth- classic labyrinth game where you control a steel ball by tilting a wooden labyrinth (in this case your device!)
• Go Kart Racing- go as fast as you can by using finger motion on the screen to accelerate and stop while controlling direction by tilting your device with your wrist
• Recognise- has been useful in reducing pain and improving performance when used as part of a GMI (graded motor imagery) program
• Angry Birds- in addition to using your fingers, this physics-based game requires logic, skill, and force
• Magic Piano- use your fingertips and follow beams of light to hit the correct notes and play along to a variety of popular songs.
• Rehab Minder Therapy Assistant- makes following a home program easy to implement! Therapist is able to customize an exercise program complete with instructions and video demonstrations.
Guided Access is a feature available that helps you to stay focused on a task while using your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. Guided Access limits your device to a single app and lets you control which app features are available. This allows therapists to disable the Home button (so the device remains on one app) and restrict touch input on parts of the screen where a touch-happy finger may cause a distraction.
You can use Guided Access to:
• Temporarily restrict your iOS device to a single app
• Disable areas of the screen that aren’t relevant to a task, or areas where an accidental gesture might cause a distraction
• Disable the hardware buttons
This is a patient rehabbing their distal radius fracture.
As with all daily tasks, moderation is key and correct biomechanics are necessary. Your therapist can assist you in these areas. Cell phone and hand held device ergonomics are topics for another blog!
