Local doctors partnering with Mobility App and Apple to help patients with joint recovery
NEW ALBANY, Ohio — The Joint Implant Surgeons at the New Albany Medical Center is one of about 25 health practices across the country participating in a new, year-long clinical study that helps patients improve their joint replacement recovery through an app called “My Mobility.”
Apple is partnering with the app by using the Apple Watch and iPhone to help doctors and patients improve communications before and after hip or knee surgery. More than 10,000 patients are participating in this study, including about two dozen patients in New Albany, Ohio.
Barbara LeVeque is one of the first Ohioans to try it out. “It’s like having a physical therapist in your home, they walk you through that routine so I just hold the phone and do the exercise,” said LeVeque.
She’s had hip pain for years and it all started when she was a child growing up as a dancer. She said throughout the years the pain became worse and it’s never been the same.
“I felt like I was dragging my leg with me,” she said. “It was pretty painful."
LeVeque finally decided to get hip surgery on December 10th. That’s when doctors at the Joint Implant Surgeons, or JIS, in New Albany asked her if she wanted to be part of the yearlong clinical study.
“I’m not a very technical person so I was a little nervous but it’s really very easy,” said LeVeque.
Leveque is one of the first patients in Ohio to try it out.
“As long as they have an iPhone6 or newer, and they’ll get an apple watch if they don’t have one they can participate,” said Dr. Adolph Lombardi Jr. an orthopedic surgeon at JIS.
Patients get instant feedback from their doctors. “It’s telling us how many steps they’re taking, if they’re going up and down the stairs, etc. So imagine the amount of data we’re going to be able to collect. We’re geared up to do, in this study 10,000 patients,” said Dr. Lombardi.
It's like having a physical therapist at your fingertips.
“It’s all right here, it’s all in your phone. Nobody cares if you’re in your pajamas or if your hair looks ridiculous so it’s just all in the comfort of your own home,” said LeVeque as she showed us some of her exercises.
Not even 10 days after her hip surgery, LeVeque said she feels like a whole new person.
“I feel remarkably good. I’m not in any pain medicines, I’m not on a walker, and I’m not on a cane. I can go up and down stairs, I can walk the dog," she said.
Doctors hope this study will help patients with an even quicker recovery.
“This is definitely the wave of the future,” said Dr. Lombardi.
___