Strengthening Muscular Rehabilitation with Objective Clinical Data

Data is integral for an efficient, successful muscular rehabilitation process. It provides an objective source of information for recovery, rather than inferences made on “feel” and the clinician’s or patient’s intuition. Ultimately, better care can be provided for a rehabilitation program through precise and quantifiable data collected in real-time.

Activbody was formed out of founder Dr. Kosta Yanev’s drive to invent fitness solutions that could help to work regular exercise into daily life. Life’s demands made it quite difficult for him to hit the gym regularly and the fitness products he used weren’t portable or flexible enough. On this premise, he created Activ5, a palm-sized isometric-based training device. Activ5 was introduced at the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show. The device guides users through short burst workouts to provide full-body toning from both sitting and standing positions. The device gained so much popularity that Activbody became a Training Partner of the Pittsburgh Steelers last August, through its ActivSports Platform rehabilitation program.

The company recently launched the latest addition to its rehabilitation program, the Activforce platform. Activeforce is a digital dynamometer platform that pairs with Activ5. It can test, measure, and track strength changes, then compile the data into patient reports that can be personalized and managed. ActivForce debuted at the 2019 American Physical Therapy Association’s (APTA) Combined Sections Meeting, the largest U.S. physical therapy conference, which took place January 24-26 in Washington D.C. To gain further insight into the technology, I spoke with Dan Stevenson, the CEO of ActivBody.
 
Sam Brusco: How does the ActivForce platform work?
Dan Stevenson: ActivForce is a digital dynamometer platform that enables clinicians to gather objective data while performing manual muscle testing during the strength evaluation of patients. Utilizing the Activ5 force measurement device, the comprehensive platform provides real-time strength measurements and allows the clinician to track patient progress along the rehabilitation continuum. The platform can be used to measure most muscle groups, it tests and tracks muscle strength and endurance, and saves the results in real-time to the patient management dashboard. It provides pre-set protocols, or the ability for clinicians to customize as needed.

 
Brusco: What benefits does the technology offer to clinicians?
Stevenson: With the use of the ActivForce, clinicians can guide their patient’s rehabilitation journey using precise, objective data and measurements. An additional goal of the platform is to help increase clinic efficiency by automating the data collection and managing and tracking the patient’s progress. This objective data allows clinicians to anchor their practice to make the best decisions for their patients.
 
Brusco: What benefits does the technology offer to patients?
Stevenson: Patients can see their progress and strength gains each visit; this is a key part of the rehabilitation process because it keeps patients motivated. Being able to share progress and specific data-driven milestones is a successful way to keep morale high. 
 
Brusco: How does ActivForce fit into the broader digital health trends?
Stevenson: ActivForce brings incredible value to patients and clinicians with the ability to provide real-time precise and objective data, limiting subjectivity. The comprehensive platform helps clinicians provide better care, provides insurance companies and physicians with important data to measure progress after injury or surgery, and allows the patient to track and understand their progress.

 
Brusco: What is the future of the ActivForce platform and technologies like it?
Stevenson: Our mission is to further provide clinicians and patients with all the tools necessary for any rehabilitation journey. There is a growing need and requirement for objective data in the healthcare setting. Activbody will continue to develop solutions to help optimize both injury evaluation and recovery.