New company combines F1 technology with physiotherapy for
rehabilitation
9 Sept 2010
The Gatherer Partnership, a new company that combines
technology from Formula One racing with the experience of one of
Britain’s most renowned research physiotherapists, aims to advance
patient rehabilitation and conditioning techniques.
Created by Don Gatherer and motorsport engineering expert John
Bailey, the company will develop a range of innovative products and
support packages that for the first time, offer physiotherapists
accurate and objective data for the management of
neuromusculoskeletal conditions.
Data such as peak force and fatigue rating of voluntary muscle
contraction will enable physiotherapists to assess the patient’s
true condition, determine the need for surgery as well as the
ability to create and administer bespoke conditioning and
rehabilitation programmes.
“Physiotherapy often relies on subjective data that can affect
recovery levels and times,” says Don Gatherer. “Our equipment will
provide information on what the patient really can achieve and how
their condition is developing over time. Extensive work undertaken
with rugby players suggests we can improve recovery times too.”
To acquire such objective data, The Gatherer Partnership is
incorporating electronic measurement devices that are typically
found in F1 racing cars. “Using loadcells and associated telemetry
will introduce previously unseen levels of accuracy, repeatability
and quality data to the physiotherapy profession,” says John Bailey.
“It genuinely can revolutionise the role of the physiotherapist.”
Aside from the professional sports sector where Gatherer, a
former Great Britain Olympic and England rugby physio is highly
regarded, The Gatherer Partnership expects its tools to be relevant
to a range of applications including defence, medical, insurance and
leisure industries.
“Examples include physical fitness assessments and monitoring at
a gym or whether a physical injury claim was legitimate,” suggests
Bailey. “Users would have access to objective data on a patient’s
condition and its progression based on actual data rather than a
subjective assessment. This could be very useful to the insurance
industry or even for benefits agencies, for example.”