Can Apps Manage Our Chronic Health Conditions

Latest Updated on 01 February 2023

In March 2016 Ajay Pathak 54, a general manager at Eureka Forbes in Delhi weighed 126 kg which was too much weight for his 6-foot frame. He had struggled with Asthma since he was a little boy and it was getting worse. There were times when it was so difficult for him to breathe that he had to carry an Oxygen Cylinder with him. He required steroids to treat the condition after becoming unable to walk and being hospitalized several times a year. Doctors suggested he choose bariatric surgery as his Blood Sugar started to rise. They said that weight loss will also assist to lessen the severity of the wheezing. He should use the Fitness App, HealthifyMe, according to a colleague.

A user can find over 150 nutritionists, trainers, and Yoga Teachers via the website HealthifyMe. According to Nikhil Moorjani head of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships at HealthifyMe, personal consultations can cost Rs899 per month even if the app, with its automatic diet and exercise plans, calorie monitors for Indian Meals, and other features is free to download and install.

Pathak found he had to keep a digital record of his meals after downloading the app. As I progressed, I actually realized that keeping a record of everything you eat actually a tool for making wise food decisions. "At first, it was difficult to document every single thing, even every glass of water I drank, "says Pathak, who recruited two personal trainers and a yoga expert for Rs 8,000 over the course of six months. But he didn't drop any weight throughout the first four months. "I was ready to quit, but my instructors inspired me, "He claims. He received many rounds of support from his physicians and dietitian via the app along with even closer supervision.

Last Updated on 06 October 2021

The 55-year-old, from Stockholm, says it's all thanks to a Swedish app that creates bespoke exercise plans designed to help alleviate joint pain. Every day the app sends Ms. Rasmusson a "nudge" to remind her to do a series of repetitions for five minutes, such as squats and leg lifts. Video demonstrations help ensure she understands the correct technique, and her training is adjusted according to her feedback on how challenging or painful she finds it. There's also a chat function within the app so she can message a real-life physiotherapist, who arranges regular video call check-ins too.

The app, called Joint Academy, was launched in 2014 with the goal of improving treatment for osteoarthritis. Almost 50,000 people have used Joint Academy since April last year, the company says, compared to 15,000 during its first six years in business. People with chronic ailments are often in the high-risk group for Covid, and in the pandemic, they shouldn't be running into the clinic to get support so this app is the best for them.

Around one in five Swedes used a Digital Healthcare app in autumn 2020, according to The Swedish Internet Foundation, including almost one in 10 pensioners. In the UK - where around 10 million people have arthritis or other conditions that affect the joints - the app is already available, although it's not currently funded by the NHS.