This article is part of Med Tech Outlook's Innovation Insights series featuring expert contributions nominated by our subscribers and reviewed by our editorial team.

Have a glance at the development of the Orthopedic Device Market of 2021!

Kathrin Maier, International Sales Manager , Sporlastic

Digital Therapy Champion

Editor’s Note: Orthopedic technology gains greater clinical relevance when connected devices help patients participate more actively in rehabilitation beyond traditional care settings. Maier’s perspective highlights the value of combining sensor-enabled products, digital guidance and professional education to support more responsive therapy while keeping individual patient needs at the center of innovation.

In 2021, Corona will continue to be an absolute accelerator for digitalisation. Social distancing will also be with us for quite a while as well as face masks.

Companies and governments that understand how to see these trends as opportunities will be the winners.

In addition to the already established digital delivery services and streaming providers, there will also be companies in the field of medical technology that can take advantage of these trends in a multifaceted way.

I am firmly convinced that sensor technology will find its way into the world of medical devices. Intelligent bandages and orthoses will provide patients with feedback, enable guided therapy exercises and document therapy progress.

In combination with telemedicine, completely new treatment possibilities will arise in both, the consumer and professional client base. Those treatment possibilities arising create higher demands and accelerate market movements and competition.

Internationally comparted products coming from Germany thereby take over a significant importance in the development of materials, technologies and finally in the implementation of possibilities.

Furthermore, I think that education all over the globe plays a major roll to the entire economy and is urgently needed in the field of medical and orthopaedic devices. In international business we daily experience a leak of such. Fast moving digitalisation in private sector will require a fast reacting government to enable transfer and thus economic growth.

At Sporlastic we are also working on these topics. The unifying idea is that we think holistically about therapy beyond bandages and orthoses, so that patients can receive better care.

Better care implements the consideration of the patient’s feelings and needs.

The GENUDYN® OA SMART combines the supportive effect of a dynamic rigid frame orthosis with an app-supported training programme. Especially in the treatment of gonarthrotic, there are numerous studies on the effectiveness of sports and exercise therapies.

The app uses two sensors to display movement sequences in real time and 3-D animation. If an exercise is performed incorrectly, the patient is informed via audio feedback and can adjust his or her exercise performance.

This means that the patient can complete an exercise programme anywhere, including at home. The app includes a 12-week, indication-specific training programme for gonarthrotic patients which was developed by the sports medicine department of the University Hospital in Tübingen.

The app also creates a training protocol that can be shared with the doctor or physiotherapist in order to control the progress of therapy.

In the field of controlling partial weight load the SP AIR WALKER SMART has an integrated sensor sole. This emits an audio-visual signal via the associated app when the individually set maximum load is exceeded.

This allows the patient to react more quickly and to dose the load better.

In the field of NEURO ORTHOPAEDICS, we offer REHAGO, a virtual reality training with digital mirror therapy and cognitive exercises for home use. Virtual reality opens up completely new exercise possibilities, as the movements are not limited to the area of the mirror.

In times of Corona Sporlastic created an onlineCAMPUS in which we offer, additionally to new developed digital products, online training to educate our customers, prescribers and shop assistances. We maintain close contact to our partners with our own sales team – on premise or online.

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The articles from these contributors are based on their personal expertise and viewpoints, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of their employers or affiliated organizations.

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