REHABILITATION AND PHYSICAL THERAPY

Effectively improve patient health,

functionality, and mobility

Why is body composition analysis

an effective tool in physical therapy?

Disclaimer: InBody devices should be used as an adjunct tool for clinical decision making and are not intended to diagnose or treat any diseases.​

Body composition is essential for understanding the patient’s physiological makeup and guiding treatment to target specific areas for improvement in physical therapy programs. InBody devices are non-invasive and convenient, making it the ideal tool to implement into rehabilitation practices. The InBody test provides comprehensive results that can be used to educate and engage patients as well as track improvements throughout the course of physical therapy treatment.​

In less than 60 seconds, the InBody Test provides easy-to-understand, accurate and objective measurements to evaluate the patient’s starting point and monitor progress during rehabilitation. Physical therapists can use the InBody to:​

  • Assess muscle distribution and target areas weakened by injury or surgery

  • Identify fluid imbalances related to inflammation or postoperative edema

  • Monitor changes to determine efficacy of an exercise program and guide recommendations to ensure long-term success

SEGMENTAL LEAN ANALYSIS

Assess patient frailty status and functional mobility risk

Current in-clinic methods of measuring the composition of an injured body segment are indirect while more medically advanced methods limit testing frequency.InBody provides a cost-effective, comprehensive and timely measurement of segmental lean mass, which can be used to identify areas of weakness due to injury or recent surgery and tailor rehabilitation programs to improve functional status.​

During the rehabilitation phase after an injury or surgery, increased sedentary behavior and/or immobilization causes loss of muscle in the injured or operated region. By evaluating lean mass in each segment of the arms, legs, and trunk separately, a physical therapist can gather baseline information on lean mass in the segments with restricted mobility. This provides beneficial information for the identification of potential imbalances related to muscle loss post-injury/surgery. By assessing each segment separately, regions of low lean mass development can be targeted and improved. By identifying these imbalances related to immobility and/or overcompensation, functional fitness and mobility can be increased, helping the therapist reduce the risk of future reinjury.​

Understanding segmental lean distribution for a patient can help the therapist guide patients back to baseline more effectively. The information from the InBody test can help by providing further insight into a patient’s body composition with the opportunity to provide further analysis of long-term health risks associated with body composition imbalances. Using this information, therapists can set tailored exercise interventions for improving overall health and health risks.​

The Segmental Lean Analysis (SLA) section can quickly assess a patient’s frailty status and functional mobility risk. By segmenting the body, areas of low lean mass can be identified and targeted for improvement, helping reduce risk of falls and/or injuries. The top bar of the SLA provides an objective measure of fat-free mass, while the bottom bar incorporates an in-depth analysis into:​

  1. The ability of a particular segment to support the patient’s’ overall body weight and​
  2. Identify insufficient lean development in particular body segments.​​

Identifying areas of low lean mass can help tailor more specific programs to improve patient outcomes such as functional status and quality of life both before and after bariatric surgery. By correcting areas of weakness this will not only help the patient’s health but improve lifestyle as well.​

ECW RATIO ANALYSIS

Track inflammation and fluid imbalances from injury or surgery

Following surgery or injury, inflammation can occur with little to no visible symptoms. Objective and precise measures of body water can detect water retention and inflammation to help guide rehabilitation treatment.​

InBody effectively distinguishes water in the intracellular (ICW; within the tissues) and extracellular (ECW; within the blood and interstitial fluids) water compartments that comprise total body water. The Edema Index, based on the ration between ECW and TBW (ECW/TBW), can be used to detect fluid imbalances resulting from inflammation due to injury or recovery after surgery.​

By assessing fluid balance in the body and by specific segment, inflammation can be identified and used to guide treatment options and intensity to reduce the risk of re-injury or post-surgery complications. These measures are provided for the whole body as well as for each body segment and can be used to identify where fluid imbalances may be occurring for a more precise analysis and an earlier indication of inflammation and recovery. Tracking these values back to normal will aid the therapist by providing additional proof of the success of their programs.​

BODY COMPOSITION HISTORY

Track trends of patient progress to monitor success of program

Patient progress is tracked through subjective measurement screenings and patient-reported outcomes, making it harder to track progress precisely and objectively. Objective measures of weight, skeletal muscle mass, percent body fat, and ECW/TBW allow progress in body composition and inflammation to be recorded and tracked throughout a rehabilitation program.​

InBody’s Body Composition History section allows patients and physical therapists to monitor progress over the course of physical therapy programs. Improvements can be tracked to assess to ensure rehabilitation programs are improving the client’s musculature, body composition, and functionality. Visualization of progress keeps patients motivated and engaged in their treatment plan. Long-term monitoring of ECW/TBW can track decreases in inflammation following the surgery or injury as well as monitor for increases that may be indicative of irritation or overtraining. Negative trends can be identified more effectively and addressed to improve the patient’s long-term health, functionality, and mobility.​

ACTUAL CASE
After 6 weeks of rehabilitation

– Strengthening training was performed

– Prescribed with extra milk and proteins

 

The patient’s initial Skeletal Muscle Mass was 15.4kg and it was increased up to 16.1kg after having rehabilitation.

While, ECW Ratio has been decreased up to 0.393 which shows that edema or inflammation has been alleviated.

With Whole Body Phase Angle, which was improved from 3.8 to 4.3, it can be evaluated that general health status has been improved.

Based on the body compositions, it can be evaluated that patient is on proper recovery.

  • Strengthening Exercise​
  • Patient said she took extra milk & protein
ARTICLE

Skeletal Muscle mass Index (SMI) is an indicator of muscle degradation,
by analyzing Sarcopenia

European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People published revised European Consensus that SMI Cut off for men is 7.0 or 5.5 for women. With this cut off, muscle degradation can be evaluated.

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