Digital Exercise Therapy Application for MSK Adherence

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Solution Overview

Problem

Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions are underutilized in conservative treatments due to access, time, and cost barriers, leading to challenges in adherence to therapy regimens, especially for patients in medically underserved areas or with limited healthcare access.

Innovation Solution

A digital health application that assesses patient likelihood of benefiting from a home-exercise therapy regimen, matches exercises to functional disability, and tracks patient outcomes, using a combination of questionnaires like PROMIS®, to provide personalized and remotely manageable exercise programs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If home-exercise therapy is provided to improve access and reduce costs, then healthcare accessibility and cost-effectiveness are improved, but adherence to therapy regimens deteriorates due to lack of supervision and patient motivation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehealthcare accessibilityVSAvoidtherapy adherence

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements continuous feedback mechanisms through digital platforms that track patient exercise completion, provide real-time guidance, and communicate progress to healthcare providers. This feedback loop maintains patient motivation and ensures adherence to therapy regimens while preserving the accessibility benefits of home-based exercise programs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables patients to independently manage their exercise therapy through self-guided digital platforms that provide personalized workout plans, progress tracking, and automated reminders. This self-service approach maintains high accessibility while ensuring consistent therapy delivery without requiring constant provider supervision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Manufacturing precision

If personalized exercise programs are created to improve therapy effectiveness, then treatment precision is improved, but system complexity increases due to individualized assessment and matching requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment precisionVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses digital parameters and algorithms to automatically adjust exercise program parameters based on patient assessments, functional disability levels, and progress metrics. This computational approach achieves high treatment precision while keeping the system manageable through standardized digital protocols rather than complex manual customization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system divides the personalized therapy process into discrete digital modules including assessment components, exercise matching algorithms, and progress tracking segments. This segmentation allows for precise individualized treatment while maintaining system simplicity through modular, reusable components that can be systematically combined.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If comprehensive patient assessment is conducted to predict therapy outcomes, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but time and resource requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoutcome prediction accuracyVSAvoidassessment time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs comprehensive patient assessments digitally before therapy initiation, collecting functional disability data, medical history, and baseline metrics in advance. This preliminary digital assessment establishes accurate outcome predictions and personalized treatment plans before treatment begins, eliminating the need for repeated in-person evaluations during early treatment phases.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces traditional manual assessment methods with automated digital evaluation tools that efficiently collect and analyze patient data. This substitution maintains comprehensive assessment quality while significantly reducing the time and resource investment required compared to conventional in-person assessment procedures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS20220199220A1Systems and methods of digitally-delivered home exercise therapy

Publication Date: 2022.06.23 LIMBER HEALTH INC

AI summary

A device, method, medium, and system for digitally administered exercise therapy. The device, method, medium, and system may include determining information indicative of a musculoskeletal condition of a patient. The method medium and system may also include determining a likelihood that the patient will have a positive outcome to digitally-delivered exercise therapy based on the information indicative of the musculoskeletal condition of the patient. The method medium and system may also include determining the specific exercises appropriate for the patient's pain and functional ability. Further, the device, method, medium, and system may also including administering a digital exercise therapy regimen to the patient and measuring and tracking the results thereof.