Advances in assistive technologies and the importance of multidisciplinary work in caring for people with disabilities were the highlights of the presentations given by representatives of the Santos Dumont Institute (ISD) during the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Congress (Reamed), held at the International Fair for Inclusion, Accessibility and Rehabilitation (Reatech), in São Paulo/SP. The event brought together specialists and professionals in the field to discuss innovations and challenges in the field of rehabilitation.
Edgard Morya, manager of the Edmond and Lily Safra International Institute of Neuroscience (IIN-ELS), addressed the role of assistive technologies in the rehabilitation process. In his presentation, he highlighted advances in peripheral and spinal implants capable of performing functional electrical stimulation (FES) and spinal cord stimulation.
“This assistive technological innovation supports a more personalized and effective physiotherapy and rehabilitation process for patient recovery. For Brazil to achieve what we call Health 5.0, we need to align technological development with the work of health professionals. Without this interaction, rehabilitation becomes deficient and technology fails to fulfill its objective of providing autonomy and quality of life to people,” explained Morya.
Lilian Lisboa, manager of the Anita Garibaldi Health Education and Research Center (Anita), highlighted the importance of a multidisciplinary and comprehensive approach in caring for people with disabilities. In her speech, she emphasized the need to expand the critical and reflective training of professionals who work in Specialized Rehabilitation Centers (CER) and to raise awareness in the community about the importance of a perspective on non-apparent disabilities, such as neurogenic bladder and bowel.
“It is essential to also address urinary and evacuation dysfunctions, which are often neglected or unknown, and which can cause irreparable damage to the patient’s health, such as kidney failure. Comprehensive care, combined with multidisciplinary work, is essential to guarantee quality of life and avoid serious complications,” he highlighted.
In addition to the presentations on assistive technologies and multidisciplinary work, the supervisor of the ISD/Macaíba Paralympic Reference Center, Fabíola Campos, highlighted the promising results of including parasports as part of clinical care for people with disabilities. Since 2023, ISD has been integrating sports practices into the treatment of patients treated by its various lines of care, demonstrating physical, emotional and social benefits for participants. Fabíola also presented an innovative application developed by ISD researchers, designed to optimize the performance of para athletes in shot put.
Reatech 2024 provided a space for the rich exchange of knowledge, allowing ISD professionals to share their experiences and reinforce their commitment to innovation and comprehensive care in rehabilitation. Participation reaffirms ISD's role as a reference in teaching and research in neuroscience, rehabilitation and multidisciplinary training.
About Reatech
Reatech is one of the largest trade fairs in the world focused on inclusion, accessibility and rehabilitation, bringing together technologies, services and debates that directly impact the lives of people with disabilities and their caregivers. Within the fair's program, Reamed consolidates itself as a technical and scientific space, promoting discussions on innovative practices and challenges in physical medicine and rehabilitation, with the participation of renowned experts from various fields.
About ISD
The Santos Dumont Institute is a Social Organization linked to the Ministry of Education (MEC) and includes the Edmond and Lily Safra International Neuroscience Institute and the Anita Garibaldi Health Education and Research Center, both in Macaíba. ISD's mission is to promote education for life, forming citizens through integrated teaching, research and extension actions, in addition to contributing to a fairer and more humane transformation of Brazilian social reality.
