A Literature Review of High-Tech Physiotherapy Interventions in the Elderly with Neurological Disorders

Marios Spanakis, Ioanna Xylouri, Evridiki Patelarou and Athina Patelarou
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Marios Spanakis: Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Hellenic Mediterranean University, GR-71004 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
Ioanna Xylouri: Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Hellenic Mediterranean University, GR-71004 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
Evridiki Patelarou: Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Hellenic Mediterranean University, GR-71004 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
Athina Patelarou: Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Hellenic Mediterranean University, GR-71004 Heraklion, Crete, Greece

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 15, 1-18

Abstract: Neurological physiotherapy adopts a problem-based approach for each patient as determined by a thorough evaluation of the patient’s physical and mental well-being. Τhis work aims to provide a literature review of physical therapy interventions in the elderly with neurological diseases (NDs) and discuss physiotherapy procedures and methods that utilize cutting-edge technologies for which clinical studies are available. Hence, the review focuses on acute NDs (stroke), deteriorating NDs (Parkinson’s disease), and age-related cognitive impairment. The most used physiotherapy procedures on which clinical data are available are balance and gait training (robot-assisted or not), occupational therapy, classical physiotherapy, walking and treadmill training, and upper limb robot-assisted therapy. Respectively, the most often-used equipment are types of treadmills, robotic-assisted equipment (Lokomat ® and Gait Trainer GT1), and portable walkway systems (GAITRite ® ), along with state-of-the-art technologies of virtual reality, virtual assistants, and smartphones. The findings of this work summarize the core standard tools and procedures, but more importantly, provide a glimpse of the new era in physiotherapy with the utilization of innovative equipment tools for advanced patient monitoring and empowerment.

Keywords: physiotherapy; neurological disorders; cognitive aging; stroke; Parkinson’s disease; e-health; patient empowerment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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