Going mobile: the changing face of physical rehab

Dr Paul Rinne, CEO and co-founder of GripAble, explains how the COVID-19 pandemic is driving the uptake of digital and mobile technology in healthcare, and what GripAble provides to therapists who need to engage their patients in rehab remotely.

Remote rehab

There are currently six million people across the UK living with upper limb disability, and 384 million people worldwide. Physical rehabilitation is critical for people to restore quality of life after suffering a stroke, or the onset of many other neurological and orthopaedic conditions.

The COVID-19 lockdown has resulted in many patients being isolated at home, unable to attend therapy appointments and some unable to access emergency treatment, increasing the risk of disability. Not only this, but the increased risk of stroke post-COVID and the need for physical rehabilitation amongst COVID survivors, means that a tsunami of disability could be coming, if digital solutions to support therapy are not implemented quickly enough.

The uptake of digital technology in healthcare, which has to date been very slow, has been forced to fast-track as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The world has moved on, driving changes in technology which will shape the delivery of healthcare in the UK.

At the cutting edge of occupational and physical therapy, GripAble is a smart mobile assessment and training device that connects to an app, with an aim to help people with upper limb impairment restore arm movement, grip strength and, ideally, their independence.

GripAble has been developed over the last seven years in consultation with thousands of occupational and physical therapists and patients across multiple clinical conditions and leading academic institutions including Imperial College London and Imperial Healthcare NHS Trust.

Outdated equipment

For years, therapists have struggled to find the appropriate tools that can engage their patients in rehab, allow for greater efficiency in their workflow, and track outcomes remotely. GripAble’s unique handgrip captures data that allows for highly accurate monitoring for therapists when compared to more traditional devices such as hydraulic dynamometers, foam balls and putty.

Spun out of Imperial College London, the GripAble concept was born during my PhD in neuroplasticity, where the need for an accessible mobile opportunity for patients undergoing physical and occupational therapy became clear. Grants from Imperial College  and Innovate UK enabled the first in-house commercial prototype to be built in 2017. The device received commercial market validation shortly after, and through a further £2 million in government funding and a £2 million private investment funding round, has now been fully commercialised.

GripAble is unique in the way it provides therapists, and patients of all ages, the ability and transparency to track and assess progress. Connecting to a mobile app to play clinical-based activities to train core hand and arm movements in a fun and engaging way, GripAble provides patients with enjoyable and measurable activities that keep them motivated when alone.

From hospital to home

Mobile is driving technology adoption. Therapists can use technology like GripAble to translate their services and expertise to the home environment. Individuals can purchase a GripAble and have it land on their doorstep within 24 hours.

Grip strength is now being touted as the next big outcome measure in healthcare. Studies show that grip strength is predictor of frailty and a key measure of healthy ageing in general. It has been shown to be a better predictor of cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular death than blood pressure, and is a marker of recovery from respiratory disease and cancer.

Future opportunities

A full-stack platform, with bespoke-built mobile hardware, software and data services, GripAble provides a platform for further home-based technological advances. Add-ons are already in development for whole body rehabilitation, and we are working with big pharma to support drug development for people living with upper limb impairment.

GripAble has launched to early adopters, with a predominantly UK-based distribution, and we are now raising our Series A financing round to ensure that, over the next two years, we can scale throughout the UK, consolidate the EU market and commence US pilots.

GripAble has the opportunity to be used by every single person coming into contact with the healthcare system globally, measuring and recording strength from early childhood until end of life care, giving us the ability to not only change the face of physical rehabilitation, but also of healthcare in general.