becan a project of Hospital Universitario Ntra. Ms. Candelaria to investigate the effectiveness of physical therapy through videoasistencia in patients with multiple sclerosis
this pilot project, presented by the multiple sclerosis Neurology of the HUNSC service unit, was selected along with another German initiative in an international competition
the aim is that through a virtual classroom and the possibilities offered by new technologies, patients of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) can be incorporated into their daily life the exercises recommended by specialists to improve his motor, guided by a health professional that will correct their rehabilitation in a personalized way.
Santa Cruz De Tenerife, March 2012.- A project of unity of multiple sclerosis in the service of Neurology of the Hospital Universitario Ntra. Ms. de Candelaria (HUNSC), attached to the Ministry of health of the Government of the Canary Islands, has obtained recently a scholarship to investigate the effectiveness of physiotherapy exercises taught through videoasistencia in patients with multiple sclerosis who have spasticity.
researcher Mª Carmen Molina, team physiotherapist; Mª Angeles Cruz, supervisor of the rehabilitation service of the HUNSC and Dr. Miguel Ãngel Hernández, responsible for the unity of multiple sclerosis in the Neurology of the HUNSC service, won one of the two scholarships offered by the pharmaceutical company Almirall, selected from more than twenty-five proposals, the initiative from the hospital for its innovative character.
The initiative, which will be launched in the coming months, aims to assess if multiple sclerosis (MS) patients treated in Hospital Universitario Ntra. Ms. de Candelaria that have spasticity (succession of muscle spasms as well as tension and stiffness of muscles), show greater adherence and actual implementation of the programme of physical therapy exercises through videoasistencia at his home in comparison with those patients that do not use this support resource. The hypothesis is to demonstrate that people with Ms adhere more and better to exercise with this tool program, since not only will motivate patients to connect on a daily basis over the internet so that from the hospital continue its table of exercises in a personalized way, but we believe that they will be able to learn how to manage their disease with all the resources – materials and professionals – to its scope ”, indicates Mª Carmen Molina.
In, the study is currently in phase of patient selection so that sessions of neurological physiotherapy with persons who have completed the requirements to participate in this pilot project may start in a few months.
The idea is to compare the evolution and adherence to the rehabilitation treatment of patients with multiple sclerosis through the study of two groups that carried out the same type of exercises with identical frequency, duration in intensity. The session via videoconference will be one hour a day from Monday to Friday in real time thanks to the program Skype, software that allows video calls up ten people which will be controlled at the same time by the physiotherapist on the screen of your monitor. The other group of people will work without this computer tool and must also practice rehabilitation indicated by professionals of the unit through the information illustrated and adapted received on paper.
Virtual Classroom to educate and educate patients with Ms
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disorder characterized by the loss of myelin, a protective layer that surrounds nerve cells and nerve fibers, and whose loss causes loss of muscle strength and balance, slowing of movements, muscle spasms and numbness among other symptoms. Although there is no definitive cure, drug therapy combined with physical exercise improves the quality of life of these people, disease that occurs between 20 and 40 years.
The pilot project conceived from the unity of multiple sclerosis in the service of Neurology of the Hospital Universitario Ntra. Ms. de Candelaria, unique in the Canary Islands in this area, aims to address this chronic condition from the possibilities offered by new technologies and a wide range of tools to improve not only treatment but also in the continuity of the same that can allow for this type of patient.
The videoasistencia is a great tool for patients with MS who have difficulties to go to the hospital. Allows them to carry out your daily table of exercises, advised by a personal tutor in this case is a professional of physical therapy, which will ensure that it carried out correctly, motivating the patient ”, explains the neurologist in the HUNSC, Miguel Ãngel Hdez.
In addition, not only facilitates the management of its time to the patient, they it would save sociosanitario for tackling chronic diseases, so we hope that the entire procedure being carried out in this study pioneer in the Islands will become an applicable method as virtual classroom for other fields of medicine ”, concludes Hernández.
