Spry, a developer of physiatry technologies from India, has launched its latest tool that enables self-assessment of a person's readiness to engage in physical activities.

WHAT IT'S ABOUT

Its digital platform delivers a comprehensive assessment of a person's mobility and flexibility, as well as their strength and endurance levels. It first collects basic information about a user's movement health and then, using computer vision, captures through camera their bodily movements. 

Results can be customised based on the user's planned activity, such that a matrix for a golfer would be different from that of a desk worker, Spry explained in a press statement. The results are also generated along with a comparison with broader population health data.

Moreover, allied health professionals from the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) can validate users' digitally-derived assessments. Spry and MAHE are collaborating on research about the impact of digital health on patient outcomes and the development of digital therapeutics.

WHY IT MATTERS

Over 2.4 billion people worldwide are living with health conditions that benefit from rehabilitation, according to the World Health Organization. However, there are not enough providers to meet this potentially huge demand with only 2.1 million practitioners available globally. This gap is more apparent among the middle and low-income groups where up to 65% of people are ignoring rehabilitation treatments due to time constraints and issues with insurance coverage.

Spry claims to be improving access to rehabilitation through its newest offering, which is intended for people who are dealing with musculoskeletal issues and those who want to get a grasp of their body's readiness to engage in certain physical activities. "By providing our users with an accessible and affordable front door for all their MSK issues, we offer an opportunity to substantially upgrade their overall quality of life," said Brijraj Bhuptani, CEO and co-founder of Spry.

THE LARGER TREND

Spry secured $3 million in a seed funding round in December. The proceeds, it said, will fund its market strategy for entering the United States market. The MSK startup is known for its flagship cloud-based system that assists physical therapy practitioners in managing their clinical and administrative functions, from scheduling to patient intake and communication, assessments, EMR, home exercise plans, adherence tracking, and patient lifecycle management.