Empowering orthopaedic rehabilitation

Staying motivated is a known problem in rehabilitation, for example in orthopaedics. Isolated behaviour change interventions often fall short. EDUS (empowering data use in situ) proposes an approach to orthopaedic patients' rehabilitation that is based on their own location and local living environment and supported by data use. The case example is wrist rehabilitation of patients with combined conditions where these affect self-efficacy, because motivation is key here. Insights from this case may be transferable to other, broader groups. The project approach is research-through-design, eliciting patient needs through data feedback prototypes.

Research by:

With support from a NWO KIEM grant 2018

Current challenge phase

Research through design

In the 10 month scope of the KIEM project, a research-through-design approach was employed for needs elicitation with patients.

Future steps are to use these insights to develop a concept for wrist rehabilitation & build a new prototype, to eventually be tested in a feasibility study and implemented. Would you like to get involved in these future steps?

Let us know below.

Research through design

In the 10 month scope of the KIEM project, a research-through-design approach was employed for needs elicitation with patients.
‍
Future steps are to use these insights to develop a concept for wrist rehabilitation & build a new prototype, to eventually be tested in a feasibility study and implemented. Would you like to get involved in these future steps?

Let us know below.

Feasibility study & Implementation

The perspective is applied in a research- through-design approach of exploratory prototyping for needs elicitation. The insights from this activity serve to form challenges for a larger scale project and to identify potential project partners.

Medical context

Insights from orthopaedic surgeon, hand rehabilitation therapists and patients

Key insights from patients

Step by step they learn what they can and can not do.

“I tried to be careful but became very depressed because he couldn’t do anything himself, locked himself up all day and looked at Netflix.”

It takes a long time to see some progress

“If you are in the middle it seems to have no end."

It’s hard to find a moment to do the excersise

"My days are not the same everyday, so it is not so easy to take three moments everyday."

You have to create trust in the recovery

"It already helped that the doctor said that 95% of patients are cured through physiotherapy alone, I always have to remind myself because I am impatient."

Initial design challenge

How can we support co-morbidity patients in orthopedic rehabilitation to perform active exercises?

Design principles:

1. Give feedback  
2. Show progress   
‍3. Link to daily life  
‍4. Plan the exercises

Insights from patients from the prototypes

Journey + stickers The physiotherapist and the patient  map out how the day of the patient looks like and together they decide what is the best time to do the exercises.
Journey + stickers
The physiotherapist and the patient  map out how the day of the patient looks like and together they decide what is the best time to do the exercises.

Creating a steady habit
"When I have skipped a day, I realise I’m already out of the habit and it is tougher to start the exercises again."

A goal is very personal, users don’t want to share that with everyone A photo on the object will be counterproductive for me. I do not want people to see it and ask me about it. I will stop engaging with the exercises because I already know the goal is not achievable.“

My triangle
This concept shows you if u are holding your wrist in the right position and shows you the speeds of the movement you should make. This prototype responds to your own location, environment and personal life through the shape and personal goal that you can stick to it.
My triangle
This concept shows you if u are holding your wrist in the right position and shows you the speeds of the movement you should make. This prototype responds to your own location, environment and personal life through the shape and personal goal that you can stick to it.

Confirmation „Sometimes you think your wrist is straight but that’s not the case. So it is nice to see whether you have the right posture.“

Environment  „I don’t mind if someone asks about it one time (what this is for), but I do mind if I have to explain it 30 times because it is always visible.“

Smart dumbellgame
This concept teaches you how to perform the exercise in a playful way by indicating a line you should follow. After a period of time you can see how and how often you did the exercises.
Smart dumbellgame
This concept teaches you how to perform the exercise in a playful way by indicating a line you should follow. After a period of time you can see how and how often you did the exercises.

Insight into own activities and progress.
„It keeps track of how often you exercise each day, that is useful. Then you also see when you have not done it one time.“

Learn how to do the exercise in a fun way "You immediately see which wrist position is good“

Link to personal environment. "For people like me who spend a lot of time on the computer, this is ideal because it attaches to it"

My tracker
This concept helps you to perform the exercise by sound and a video. A calm voice tells you what to do. After the exercise you can see the result and the progress you made.
My tracker
This concept helps you to perform the exercise by sound and a video. A calm voice tells you what to do. After the exercise you can see the result and the progress you made.

See progress & quality of my exercise "I like that I can see my own progress and the quality of my exercise"

Conclusion possible self

Direct feedback

"That is very motivating, knowing whether you are doing it right and how you can do it better."

Gaining trust

„I gain trust that it will be o.k. and that what I’m doing is good“

Mindful of one’s wrist

When patients are talking about their wrists in the interviews, they touch them, rub over them - they become more mindful of their wrists. Normally they try to forget them.

Difficult to be patience
and give it time

Ervaart juist veel drukdoor alle anderedingen in haar levenwaardoor ze niettoekomt aan deoefeningen

Becoming mindful of the excercises

Je bent er eerder vanbewust of je deoefeningen wel of nietdoet.

Difficult to give it patience and time

Getting around to doing the exercises still difficult because life is so busy - it only adds a chore.

Becoming mindful of the exercises

It makes you more mindful of whether you are doing the exercises or not.

Improved design challenge

How can we support co-morbidity patients inorthopedic rehabilitation to become calm and mindful so that they can perform exercises?

Do you have any questions,
want to work together to bring this project to a next level?
Send an Email

EDUS

The project will take note of KIA 2018-2022, the EU grand societal challenges and the competitive position of the creative industry asrepresented by the creative industry sme partner.