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Sep 8, 20213 min read

Occupational and physical therapy with CUREO

Today, September 8, is Physical Therapy Day. Therefore, we want to take this day as an opportunity to take a closer look at the profession of physical and occupational therapist and show what a great relevance it has for so many patients. We will also show how CUREO can be used in the context of physiotherapy and occupational therapy.


What is physical therapy?


Physical therapists help patients maintain or regain typical movement patterns. The word comes from the Greek "physio," which translates as "nature" or "body." Thus, the goal is to restore the body's natural functions through therapy [1].


Goals of physiotherapy


Therapy is usually prescribed by the treating physician and begins with an examination of the patient's functional, movement or activity limitations. Based on the results, treatment is individualized to the patient [2]. The overall goal is to restore, maintain, and promote health. During therapy sessions, active, assisted, or passive exercises can be performed.


The patient performs the active exercises completely independently. This includes respiratory therapy. The physiotherapist controls and corrects if necessary, so that the patient can perform the exercises at home after a learning phase [2].


In assisted exercises, the patient must also cooperate himself, but is still supported by the therapist or other aids, such as buoyancy when performing the exercises in water.


In the passive exercises, the physiotherapist moves the patient's joints without the patient tensing his muscles. Passive measures also include electrotherapy, massages, or thermotherapy and hydrotherapy [3].


physiotherapy_occupational therapy_CUREO


What is occupational therapy?


A term often mentioned in connection with physiotherapy is ergotherapy. The Greek word "ergo" means "work" or "action". Occupational therapy aims to maintain or restore the patient's everyday abilities to act and work [1].


Occupational therapy tasks


In addition to alleviating physical ailments, occupational therapy is also concerned with psychological and cognitive therapy. The aim is to ensure that the patient can actively participate in society, for example, dressing independently, preparing meals on his or her own, or meeting with friends. The goal of the therapy, which is also prescribed by a physician, is formulated by the patient himself and consists of the promotion of movement coordination, sensory and emotional perception, the development of physical and mental prerequisites, the general improvement of the quality of life and the (re)integration into the personal, social and professional environment [4]. In order to (re)acquire these abilities, manual-creative tasks and activities of daily living are trained in addition to motor-functional exercises [5].


Both job descriptions are closely related and have some overlaps. They both work with the goal of restoring the patient's health and ability to move. However, physical and occupational therapists often suffer from the poor conditions of the profession. These include inadequate pay, lack of time and stress in their daily work. Therapists have only 20 minutes per patient, which is usually not enough for appropriate, individual therapy. Due to the low earnings in occupational and physical therapy, the job is also unpopular and many therapist positions are unfilled. This further worsens the situation, practices and therapists are overworked, and many patients feel that not enough attention is paid to them and their personal situation [6].


Physical and occupational therapy with virtual reality and CUREO


CUREosity is setting new standards with virtual therapy. On the one hand, the therapy software CUREO can be used to train movement sequences as in physiotherapy. The therapist can use additional aids or support the patient manually. In addition, the modules and therapy games can be performed against gravity or on the therapy table and thus simplified for the patient. Respiratory therapy is also supported in a separate mode and guided by the software.


physiotherapy_occupational therapy_CUREO


Exercises with CUREO for pyshio- and occupational therapy


On the other hand, with the "daily" module, for example, CUREO offers the possibility of training everyday activities and sequential planning sequences such as preparing a meal. The new "finger" module helps practice fine motor activities. In addition, CUREO can be used to train temporal movement execution, movement coordination and proprioception, color and object (re)recognition, as well as spatial orientation and concentration skills.


CUREO is easy to use and also enables the simultaneous supervision of several patients by one therapist. Thus, the system is a relief in the stressful daily routine of physiotherapists and occupational therapists. Thus, a sustainable improvement in care and thus an increase in the quality of life of patients is aimed for.



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