Therapy on Emma’s terms

ADVERTORIAL

Physical therapy is being supported by interactive technology, and it’s making a real difference to children and families across Australia.

For many families, at-home physical therapy is one of the toughest parts of the daily routine. Getting kids to consistently complete their exercises takes time, motivation, and more than a little patience. Research suggests that compliance with at-home therapy programmes sits somewhere between 15% and 50%, so if your family finds it a struggle, you’re far from alone.

Doreen Deede knows this all too well. Her daughter Emma has always found it difficult to stay motivated with traditional therapy exercises. “Emma’s motivation to participate in any kind of therapy has always been dependent on the setting and the activity,” Doreen explains. “Prior to using LusioMATE, Emma did not engage at all, or only engaged with limited motivation when asked to complete her exercises at home.”

That all changed when Emma was introduced to LusioMATE, a wearable physical therapy system that turns exercises into engaging, movement-based activities.

How LusioMATE works

LusioMATE uses compact, wearable motion sensors that can be placed almost anywhere on a person’s body. The sensors connect via Bluetooth to a growing library of purpose-built interactive activities, where therapy takes the form of play. Therapists can customise and adjust the activities to match each individual’s goals, and the exercises evolve as the person progresses.

For Emma, the shift was immediate. “Emma loved the instant gratification she received through the activities, and performed the required movements more consistently and with more control and effort,” Doreen says.

Uncovering what Emma could do

One of the most powerful outcomes was discovering abilities that had previously been hidden. The family trialled LusioMATE to help Emma work on lifting her feet and knees, a skill needed for putting on socks and shoes while seated in her wheelchair. Previous attempts to engage Emma in these exercises had not been successful.

“The trial showed that Emma can lift her feet and knees, but just needs the right motivation to keep practising to become stronger and more in control,” Doreen explains.

“The use of LusioMATE engaged Emma instantly and highlighted her ability, which we were previously uncertain about.”

Emma’s physiotherapist, Dalena Pangna of Full Potential Paediatrics Physiotherapy, saw the results first-hand. “Emma loved being able to work on her knee extension with LusioMATE, and we were able to improve on her range of motion and isolate movement between her left and right side better by the end of one week,” Dalena says.

Remote monitoring, real progress

A key advantage of LusioMATE for clinicians is the comprehensive analytics it provides. Dalena can remotely monitor Emma’s progress and adjust her programme as needed, keeping the exercises fresh, relevant, and appropriately challenging without requiring Emma to be in the clinic.

The system is compact and portable, meaning it works just as well at home, at the park, at school, or on holiday. And when “time for exercises” becomes “time to play,” the whole experience becomes less stressful for everyone.

The biggest win

Beyond the physical gains in movement and strength, the most meaningful change has been in Emma’s confidence. “Through LusioMATE, Emma became aware of her own ability, and realised that she could do something successfully,” Doreen says.

And helping kids believe in themselves? That’s the biggest win of all.

To find out more about LusioMATE, visit lusiorehab.com or call 1300 1 LUSIO.