Opportunities for Regenerative Rehabilitation and Advanced Technologies in Physical Therapy: Perspective From Academia

Abstract

As rehabilitation specialists, physical therapists must continue to stay current with advances in technologies to provide appropriate rehabilitation protocols, improve patient outcomes, and be the preferred clinician of choice. To accomplish this vision, the physical therapy profession must begin to develop a culture of lifelong learning at the early stages of education and clinical training in order to embrace cutting-edge advancements such as stem cell therapies, tissue engineering, and robotics, to name a few. The purposes of this article are: (1) to provide a current perspective on faculty and graduate student awareness of regenerative rehabilitation concepts and (2) to advocate for increased integration of these emerging technologies within the doctor of physical therapy (DPT) curriculum. An online survey was designed to gauge awareness of principles in regenerative rehabilitation and to determine whether the topic was included and assessed in doctoral curricula. The survey yielded 1,006 responses from 82 DPT programs nationwide and indicated a disconnect in familiarity with the term "regenerative rehabilitation" and awareness of the inclusion of this material in the curriculum. To resolve this disconnect, the framework of the curriculum can be used to integrate new material via guest lecturers, interdisciplinary partnerships, and research opportunities. Successfully mentoring a generation of clinicians and rehabilitation scientists who incorporate new medical knowledge and technology into their own clinical and research practice depends greatly on sharing the responsibility among graduate students, professors, the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), and DPT programs. Creating an interdisciplinary culture and integrating regenerative medicine and rehabilitation concepts into the curriculum will cultivate individuals who will be advocates for interprofessional behaviors and will ensure that the profession meets the goals stated in APTA Vision 2020.

Mechanobiology-based physical therapy and rehabilitation after orthobiologic interventions: a narrative review

“…As the field of regenerative medicine continues to advance, the role of rehabilitation specialists extends beyond merely restoring function after an injury. Rehabilitation specialists play an active role in facilitating the repair and regeneration process during healing [1,21,22]. Proper integration and healing of injured tissues require the activation and functional synchronization of a series of cellular and molecular events [23,24].…”

AMIC—Autologous Matrix-Induced Chondrogenesis Technique in Patellar Cartilage Defects Treatment: A Retrospective Study with a Mid-Term Follow-Up

“…The postoperative protocol is crucial in order to optimize the surgical outcome and not to undermine the repair process. The rehabilitation protocol should not only be focused on function restoration but also on promoting and sustaining the tissue regenerative processes [38,39]. In ideal conditions, the physical and biochemical environment should promote cell differentiation towards an articular cartilage-like profile, leading to the development of a durable and organized tissue [39][40][41][42].…”