Physical therapy apps were made for one reason: to make life easier for patients, physical therapists, and physical therapist assistants. But for those of us who can’t make it to therapy or don’t like to go, mobile apps give us more flexible options for getting our therapy treatment.
Some of these mobile apps for physical therapy have become relied upon heavily during the Covid-19 pandemic.
As the number of mobile devices with apps available for physical therapy has increased, we’ve seen a dramatic rise in the number of apps that can help therapists stay on top of patient progress and follow-up. It’s not surprising that these apps are making therapy more efficient and giving it a more holistic feel.
Mobile apps are becoming increasingly popular to help both prevent injuries and improve the experience on the road for those who suffer from them.
There are many apps out there on the market for your iPhone, iPad, and Android devices, and we’ve picked our favorite 14 of the best physical therapy apps to bring to you today.
This list includes physical therapy apps for patients and we have also included the best apps for physical therapy students including physical therapy study apps.
1. Shoulder Decide by Orca Health
The Shoulder Decide app is just one in a series of health-related apps created by Orca Health. The app offers ways to maximize your customer education and engagement, which helps to provide positive outcomes for all the people involved. In addition to Shoulder Decide, other apps like Spine Decide, Foot Decide, and Hand Decide can be used by physical therapists.
2. Muscle Trigger Points
This $2.99 app contains a list of trigger points and referral patterns for 108 muscles. That means just about any problem can be solved by locating and releasing a muscle. The app also features a list of conditions that are cause by these trigger points, so you can identify what’s going on. The 3D muscles interface is available to help you and your patients understand the pain source. It features a simple, user-friendly interface with colorful 3D renderings of muscles and muscle groups.
3. PTA Guide (For PTA Students)
For those aspiring to work in the field of physical therapy, we have a bonus resource for you. Although you won’t need to download this one on the iTunes Store or Google Play Store. The PTA Guide offers a free career and educational resource to help you on your career path in physical therapy.
4. Stopwatch and Timer
If you have too many stopwatches around your neck monitoring patients, you need Stopwatch & Timer. This simple app allows five different timers to be running simultaneously with each timer having their own label so they can be straightened out.
5. Physera
This app offers exercises to help facilitate muscle relaxation, including those for the neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist and back muscles. Exercises and stretches are categorized by areas of the body – such as hip and knee workouts. All you have to do is choose the part of your body that you’d like to stretch and this app will guide you through each movement, ensuring that you’re performing them correctly. Plus, set reminders if you want a gentle physical reminder reminding you to complete your stretches whenever suits you best!
6. MedBridge Go
While going through recovery from an injury, it is helpful to be in touch with your physical therapist by connecting through your smartphone. MedBridge GO for Patients is helpful to you throughout the physical therapy process by keeping you and your PT connected. It allows you work out on your own, without needing to travel long distances to your physical therapy appointments.
With the help of MedBridge GO for Patients, you’ll have easy access to personalized workouts and guided demonstrations that lead you through each exercise step-by-step. The mobile app permits you to easily communicate with your physical therapist via messages which are integrated within the app. MedBridge GO for Patients provides you with personalized workouts and looped demonstrations that lead you through each stretch and exercise.
7. NPTE-PT Pocket Prep (For PT and PTA Students)
The National Physical Therapy Examination is a 200-question exam that must be passed in order to become a physical therapist. The NPTE was last updated in 2011 and consists of three domains: pain, movement, and neurology. In addition to the general knowledge required for the exam, Pocket Prep’s practice test app includes explanations with detailed answer breakdowns for every single question. Pocket Pre’s pre-NPTE questions were created by a dedicated team comprised of experienced physical therapists and a university professor specializing in this area of expertise
If you’re studying for a test, this app is for you. This innovative app uses the “spacing effect” to help you learn more things in less time. It’s perfect for those who have a short attention span or are easily distracted. Simply tell the app how many questions you’d like to take, set the timer, and filter the exam content to create the perfect study environment.
8. ICD Consult 2017
Since there have been so many coding updates in the last few years, it is important to have a current ICD10 resource close at hand. Whether you are struggling with a certain code or you are training a new employee in your practice, ICD10 Consult is the “must-have” tool for every physical therapy clinic. ICD10 Consult is completely searchable with a user-friendly design.
9. PT Pal Pro
As one of the first integrated care delivery systems designed for use across any physical therapy center, PT Pal Pro is making it easier for patients to stay ahead of their recovery goals with features including activities, tasks, surveys, and exercises. For example, your physical therapist can send you videos directly to your device showing you the right way to complete motions like bending or stretching after an injury. Whether you’re needing help strengthening muscles after surgery or want specific instruction on easing stiffness in your joints, your physical therapist can help optimize efficiency thanks to this application. At last, full recovery is at your fingertips.
10. Pocket Anatomy
This award-winning app provides a highly accurate view of the anatomy of the human body. Users can zoom into a specific area of the body, such as skin or connective tissue, to see what’s happening. The app also shows the skeletal, lymphatic, circulatory, and nervous systems—helping doctors explain how injuries are affecting patients.
11. Physioadvisor
What sets this app apart from the other apps is that it was designed by a team of experienced physical therapists. This ensures it will be relevant and easy to use in most people’s daily life since they’ve made sure to cover all the exercises that doctors and physical therapists prescribe most in their practice.
12. Goniometer
One of the most important tasks in the daily routine of a physical therapist is measuring a patient’s range of motion. This can be done by asking if they are able to move their arm to touch their shoulder or by using other techniques that are proven to produce reliable data. And now, thanks to technology, this can be done digitally, with an application called Goniometer. A goniometer is a round piece of equipment that rotates a device into a variety of angles that can be measured by a protractor. The Goniometer mobile app is basically a mobile app version of this piece of equipment that Physical Therapists can now have with them at all times on their mobile devices.
This is only available for iPads and iPhones, and the download costs $4.99.
13.) MyRehab
This app is a great tool for a therapist to recommend to their patients. It contains a library of high-quality exercises with easy-to-access images and videos. The app also includes detailed information about symptoms, diagnosis, first-aid, and follow-up care.
These days, healthcare is intertwined with technology. People use their smartphones and tablets for everything: from grocery shopping to keep up on the latest health trend. Patients can use this app as a DIY rehabilitation tool and as a great reference for home exercise programs.
14.) Physical Therapy for Kids
This app was created by a physical therapist and a yoga instructor. It’s a brilliant aid for younger patients, and it features 56 exercises that are perfect for kids three to 12. The illustrations and animations show how to do the exercises, and they’re accompanied by English narration and text.
The Best Apps for Physical Therapy Students, Exercises, and More
Going to physical therapy consistently, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, is demanding and often grueling for patients. These physical therapy apps will help both the therapist and their patients keep up with their treatment by improving scheduling, patient tracking, therapy exercises, billing, and documentation.
For students, these apps will help you to study efficiently and effectively and meet all of your educational and licensing requirements to start your profession as a licensed physical therapist or physical therapist assistant.
There you have it, the 14 best physical therapy apps. These apps are great for physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, PT students, and PT patients. This list has a physical therapy app for everyone, so which is your favorite?
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