In today’s healthcare environment, there is an increasing focus on improving the efficiency of rehabilitation processes, given the rising number of injuries and the need to return to active life more quickly. However, personalising individual needs is often a challenge, and innovative solutions are being sought to optimise these processes.

In response to the need for innovation, researchers at Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), Lithuania, and Inosport are developing an advanced adaptive rehabilitation system to improve the efficiency of rehabilitation and training processes.
The system allows patients’ rehabilitation progress to be monitored in real-time and fitness programmes to be tailored according to their specific needs and physical condition.

“This will not only speed up patients’ rehabilitation but also provide personalised solutions (from injury treatment to prevention) for a wide range of patients. Our goal is to develop and market a simple and affordable product that adaptively adjusts training processes to specific limb injuries,” says Aurelijus Domeika, a researcher at KTU’s Institute of Mechatronics and head of the Daigas Lab.

Olympic athletes are also tested

Daigas Lab is one of the twelve thematic laboratories operating in the KTU interdisciplinary prototyping laboratory centre M-Lab. The laboratory’s scope of research and services includes ergonomic, biomechanical, and physiological research, as well as the design and development of health promotion products.

“Our first goal is to develop and investigate new products that promote progress in health. The second is to carry out comprehensive biomechanical research to accurately assess athletes’ physical fitness, prevent injuries, optimise training processes and improve rehabilitation methods,” says Domeika.

He says that the laboratory measures the biomechanical parameters of athletes, while advanced technologies ensure early diagnosis and effective prevention of injuries.

The Daigas Lab is unique in that it tests high-performance athletes, and national Olympians, representing both individual and team sports, providing a unique opportunity to observe and improve their performance in various sports.
“We are glad that by cooperating with the athletes’ coaches and performing regular tests, we can contribute to better training, which helps athletes to achieve maximum results and reduce the risk of injuries,” says the KTU scientist.
However, he points out that the laboratory is not only open to athletes of all levels, from amateurs to Olympians but also to scientists, medical professionals and companies seeking to develop and test new technologies.
The lab conducts research to develop innovations in sports, health and rehabilitation. It also evaluates the impact of these innovations on consumers.

Personalised rehabilitation system

Domeika says that the laboratory is currently developing a new adaptive rehabilitation system that allows the personalisation of training and rehabilitation processes, tailoring them to the individual needs of athletes and patients, based on real-time biomechanical data.

“With this system, users can safely restore limb strength and range of motion. It regulates force and speed at different angles of movement, adapting to the individual user’s needs,” he explains.

In addition, the recorded force, speed and range of motion parameters allow training processes and long-term trends to be monitored. The data collected is recorded and stored, and personalised recommendations are provided to patients.
The system is known for being versatile and compact, covering all the major working modes. The KTU researcher points out the adaptive mode, which lets the user adjust the load to fit each person’s capacity. This ensures a safe training process and avoids overloading.

“This innovative system can be used by clinics, health and sports clubs in Lithuania and abroad. It offers tangible benefits to both the facilities and the patients, as it allows for objective measurement and dosage of the physical load. In addition, specialists can work with several patients at the same time, thus significantly increasing the quantity and quality of the services provided,” he emphasises.

The system adapts to each individual’s capacity, thus allowing them to achieve their desired results and return to the job market or active life more quickly, and for athletes to train and compete.

Domeika makes no secret of the fact that the development of this system is a long and complex process, requiring specific interdisciplinary knowledge. One of the biggest challenges is to collect the data that will allow the training and rehabilitation programmes to be tailored appropriately and to ensure that the system is easy to operate.

“The research we do in our lab, using licensed and high-end equipment, helps us analyse how the system performs in real-life situations. The analyses carried out by the researchers allow us to assess whether the newly developed device effectively addresses individual challenges,” says a KTU researcher.

Developed an ergonomic chair

In addition, the Daigas Lab focuses on creating a working environment that ensures personal well-being and promotes productivity.

“In Europe, many people spend a lot of time sitting, which can cause problems with their muscles and bones, such as back pain, muscle imbalances, and bad posture. To deal with these issues, a special device for sitting has been made that uses information about how the muscles in the trunk are working,” says Domeika.

He says that the system’s principle of operation is adaptive control, allowing the device to be adapted to the physical capabilities and muscle activity of each user. This means that the seating device can work both passively and actively.
In passive mode, the device ensures health promotion, promotes correct posture and effectively reduces muscle fatigue. The active mode offers an innovative solution – adjusting the levels of instability and muscle training.

“This feature allows you to customise the levels of instability to stimulate trunk muscle activity and improve the range of motion of the lower back. In this way, each user receives the best-tailored solution,” explains the KTU researcher.

In the future, Daigas Lab plans to expand its research and educational activities in cooperation with local and international scientists and representatives of the business sector. Particular attention will be paid to the development of innovations in projects related to sport, health and ergonomics.