Robotic technology helping elderly patients overcome sarcopenia

It may look like most gyms, but one facility in the Houston area pairs machines equipped with special technology and the assistance of professionals to help patients achieve optimal results.

“This has helped me tremendously, and psychologically it’s help me tremendously cause I really had a mental block,“ said patient Diane Vroulis. She was the victim of a car accident in 2015 and has been seeking help for back pain, but felt traditional physical therapy sessions were not serving her needs quickly enough.

“Since then it’s been, you know, a lot of doctors’ appointments, MRIs, what else, and different sessions of physical therapy at different locations,” added Vroulis. She learned about the Vitalico Active Aging Clinics, which happened to be covered by her health insurance plan.

“First of all, I just feel a lot stronger," described Vroulis. "Just in the month that I’ve been coming, I felt change coming on, early on. You can feel it because it’s so specific, and they take every exercise, has a certain form and a certain way to do it, and no one ever told me that before.”

The Exercise Coach is a brand which features the Exerbotics technology, a customized program, that tracks your progress. The machines themselves are easy on the joints since they rely on your resistance, and Vitalico Active Aging Clinics provide the physical therapists to guide you through the workout. 

“Our goal as a whole is to facilitate a lifestyle that is focused on continual strength building and counteracting the loss of strength and muscle mass that sarcopenia has on each of us,” said Dr. Jeremy Bourgeois, the clinical director at Vitalico Active Aging Clinics.

The facilities welcome patients of all ages and even accept one covered by Medicare. Patients like Vroulis find it easy to track their goals through the smart technology.

“You know immediately what you’re doing," explained Vroulis. "You’re getting that instant feedback and the next time you come, you can improve and you can see where you are. So it wasn’t intimidating, it was really refreshing.“

Strength and function assessments are free. You can get more information at Vitalico Active Aging Clinics