Technologies for rehabilitation: Problems and opportunities in the Physiotherapy Clinic at PUC Minas - Brazil

Abstract

The areas of expertise in physical therapy are growing and expanding and the work with human functionality and disability demands the interaction with various areas of knowledge, in addition to innovation and promotion of social capital. In recent years, the technological advances at various areas of the health care system have brought important improvement in the quality of life and in the early detection of changes in health conditions. It was the combined efforts of professionals from different fields, such as the health and exact science, by sharing their experiences and skills and creating conditions for the development of new strategies for solving problems in medicine and biology. This paper highlights the importance of the coalition between physical therapy and engineering, thus, the relationship can grow and fortify, allowing the technological developments to overcome the social problems. The importance of the joint work between physiotherapists and engineers will be demonstrated by the demands identified at the physiotherapy clinic at PUC Minas -Brazil. The combination of the expertise in the area of training of these professionals, to the social issues of inclusion and participation, it is certainly a way to develop concrete actions for the benefit of the society.