Remember the phrase “THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT”? It became so widely used a few years ago that Apple ended up applying a trademark to it. So you’ll be aware that you can augment your mobile experience with everything from maps and photo editors to, um, tractor simulators. But did you know you can also download apps for your knees?
This week we thought it might be interesting to look at some. A brief caveat first: since none of these apps were created by the official Chris Bailey Orthopaedics Software Development Centre (we’re still working on that department), you’ll need to exercise your own judgement before trying them. But apps like these are at least giving prospective patients an idea of what’s involved in knee surgery and the journey to recovery that follows.
RecovAware 
As the name implies, this app aims to give patients a helping hand as they recover from a knee injury. You input the injury (eg ACL Tear) and the date it occurred. You then log your daily activities, any pain you experienced and any medication you took. This builds into ‘metrics’ that indicate your progress back to health. You can also use the app to diarise and alert you to medical appointments, and compare symptoms and rehab with other users around the world.
Pocket Physio
Pocket Physio is a free app created by Care UK, the health and social services / treatment centre provider. Though aimed at various parts of the body, it includes a knee section with exercise options for pre- and post-surgery patients, with a range of video demos. App users can also learn how to walk with a frame, use crutches and manoeuvre up and down stairs, and there’s advice on dressing, bathing and transferring into and out of a car.
My Knee Guide
This American app bills itself as an “interactive and comprehensive resource” for people who are considering or undergoing knee surgery. It provides a wealth of info (often with diagrams) about knee anatomy, surgery and prostheses. Users can also view pre-hospital checklists, add medical contact numbers, create a timeline for their surgery and read personal stories from patients who have gone through the process and shared their experiences.
Muvr
Muvr is another US app. This one is aimed at people who have undergone knee surgery and total knee replacements. It does this through a sensor device, which straps around a joint and sends mobility statistics back to the app (using “more than 18,000 data points per minute,” according to the official website). This kind of technology is quite new, so it will be interesting to see if it becomes more widely available. Similar services, such as Tracpatch, are also coming onto the market.
Knee Surgery Simulator
Not entirely serious, this one. Knee Surgery Simulator is a kids’ game where you play surgeon to fix a range of cartoonish injuries, such as bone displacement, bone replacement and… “bullet injury.” The graphics are clunky and simplistic. But perhaps, as the player swabs, injects and cuts, he or she gets a sense of the steps that go into the surgical process. Or at least some happy memories of the classic children’s game, Operation…
Smartphones are also useful for… making phone calls! If you’re troubled by pain or injury to your knees and could use some advice, we’re always happy to chat one-to-one. Call the CBO team on 01962 826107 – or book an appointment with Mr Bailey through the website.
(Please note that Chris Bailey Orthopaedics does not endorse, and is not responsible for, the content of external websites.)
