Exploring modularity in physical therapy: The development of a novel modular recovery tool

Abstract

The aim of this project was to answer the question: Is modularity valuable in a physical therapy setting? Physical therapy happens in a myriad of ways. Numerous tools, interventions, and methods exist to improve health and well-being. Instead of drugs or surgery, physical therapy aims to improve the health of an individual through methods such as manual therapy, functional training, functional control, exercise regimens, etc. The utilization of multiple tools, interventions, and methods creates a variety of different prescriptive avenues for any person to take. Exploring these aspects, this research set out to enhance and customize an aspect of the physical therapy experience with a novel design. Through ethnographic research and semi-structured interviews, the role of modularity in the physical therapy recovery setting was evaluated. The insights provided by the interviews and observations yielded findings which indicated there was indeed value in modularity within the physical therapy recovery space. This project presents a novel modular recovery tool system comprised of several parts which can be customized in countless ways.