Before you read on about this innovative new bit of kit we would like to let you know that we at Kensington Physio & Sports Medicine have now purchased this product. We are therefore able to utlize this monitoring system for the benefit of our patients either in clinic and you can hire it to take home for more extensive monitoring of you movement. Please contact us for more information or to have an assessment on 020 7603 0040. From our Clinical Director – Scott Tindal
During the recent Olympics in London, I managed to catch up with a good friend, Ian Gard, who is the Australian Men’s Water Polo Physiotherapist. He owns a fantastic practice in North Curl Curl, Sydney (www.northcurlcurlphysio.com) and has always been a fan of gadgets and gizmos and this particular meeting gave me insight into some of the innovations he has been buying or trialing. Amongst the many he mentioned, a company called DorsaVi (www.dorsavi.com) immediately caught my attention.
Andrew Ronchi and Daniel Ronchi created the company after Andrew spent over twenty years working as a physiotherapist and was intrigued with the blight of low back pain in clinical practice. Andrew wanted to be able to better understand a patients day to day activities and what was really going on their life outside the clinic. The result after many years of research and development was their product called DorsaVi. It is essentially a set of sensors that allows measurements of range of motion, orientation, movement, muscle activity and activity during a pre-determined period of time where the patient wears the sensors for low back assessment. The product can be utilized in several ways and the company has divided the product to serve patients, workplaces and sporting organizations all with this simple yet incredibly objective device.Kensington Physio & Sports Medicine have now purchased the product and as such we are able to utilize the ViMove and ViPerform aspects of the sensors.ViMove (http://www.dorsavi.com/clinical/vimove/ ) gives you real-time feedback that empowers you to manage your lower back pain through improved posture, movement pattern understanding and strengthening spinal muscle groups. ViMove may allow you to reduce your reliance on pain medication and some of our users have found that they can avoid back surgery. ViMove has been validated in a clinical trial managed by Austin Health.A ViMove program is made up of four components.
1) 6-12 hr movement monitoring sessions – You wear the device during your normal day. The sensors are attached to your lower back and most people forget they have them on after a short period. Your movement and posture while sitting, standing, walking, lifting etc. are recorded.
2) Assessment of data and patient feedback – A report is provided to you and your medical practitioner or physiotherapist. The report will give you and your medical practitioner/physiotherapist insights into movements that give rise to pain.
3) Live training – Often individuals do not realise that they are subjecting themselves to at risk positions that are generating their back pain. This could be as simple as changing their posture whilst driving or watching TV. You wear the device in the clinic and get real time feedback on your posture and which exercises will help your conditions. There are video games that can be tailored to your specific needs.
4) Weekly movement monitoring sessions with live feedback for 6-8 wks – This is similar to your 6-12 hr movement monitoring session except the device has been programmed to give you instant feedback when you are in undesirable positions or undertaking activities that will lead to back pain. Pain events can also be recorded. Between sessions the device can be reprogrammed to minimise movements that increase your risk of future lower back pain and or to strengthen specific muscle groups.
I have included a few snap shots of the information that the ViMove provides to both you and to your treating Physio. From what I have seen thus far and from feedback from patients this is going to be an invaluable tool in helping patients get to the bottom of their pain.The reality is this when it comes to physio and low back pain:You come to physio for 30-60 minutes out of your day. The other 23hrs you are on your own and no matter what we discuss regarding posture in standing, sitting and lifting it is all up to you. We as physio’s cannot see you in your day to day life and as a result cannot really tell what you are doing. This simple device is literally like “having a physio in your pocket” as once described by another physiotherapist to his patient. We as physio’s gain an insight into your real world. We can see how long you sit for, stand for, sit in slumped posture, and sit in upright posture. It also allows you and your physio to see how many times you bend forwards, backwards and sideways over the entire monitoring period. It is a real eye opener and once all the data reviewed a comprehensive plan can be put in place to get you back to feeling normal again.If you suffer from low back pain and you would like to use this unit then please call the clinic and arrange an appointment today. This is not a machine to magically fix your back as so many machines have claimed in the past – it is a machine to allow you to understand your back and set you on the right path to sorting it out forever. It is a machine that will allow you and your physio to manage your back and get you to take control. For me it makes perfect sense and from early feedback reports – a lot of my patients agree too.
Scott Tindal MSc (SEM, London)
Clinical Director