The recovery process in physical therapy and health sciences does not depend solely on therapeutic intervention, but also on the patient's understanding and active involvement. In daily clinical practice, explaining biological processes clearly and objectively represents one of the greatest challenges for practitioners.
Infrared thermography establishes itself not only as a biological assessment tool, but also as a key ally in patient communication and education.
If we were to conduct a simple exercise asking a patient to identify the structure of their knee and patella across different medical imaging modalities—such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound, or a thermogram—the thermogram is usually the easiest to recognize due to the intuitive nature of thermal photography.
Visual comparison between a thermogram, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and ultrasound for anatomical identification by the patient.
Being able to visually locate the biological response directly impacts the care process, helping the patient in two fundamental ways:
Within the framework of pain neuroscience education, authorsDavid S. Butler & G. Lorimer Moseley (2003, 2013), in their work Explain Pain, address how strategies that represent the subject and acknowledge their perception contribute to the therapeutic process.
Although the authors do not explicitly mention thermography, integrating technologies that offer a visual representation of the patient's own body allows these neuroscience principles to be applied: visual information helps transform alarm into knowledge, and that knowledge translates into reassurance during treatment.
One of the main advantages of thermography when working with patients compared to other imaging techniques is the ease of explaining both the process and the results. At all times, the patient can visualize the thermographic result on a recognizable representation of their own body.
For practitioners looking to stand out in the field of neuroscience and improve clinical communication, thermography offers:
Integrating the visual representation of the biological response allows clinicians to take the step toward a more objective, visual, and innovative practice, improving the patient relationship and optimizing communication throughout every phase of treatment.
Take the step toward a more objective, visual, and innovative clinic.
Download our guide and discover how to apply it in your daily practice without adding extra analysis time to your consultations.
ThermoHuman has had the support of the Funds of the European Union and the Community of Madrid through the Operational Programme on Youth Employment. Likewise, ThermoHuman within the framework of the Export Initiation Program of ICEX NEXT, had the support of ICEX and the co-financing of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Thermohuman has received funding from the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI), in participation with the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), for the R+D activities involved in creating a new tool, based on thermography, for the prediction and prevention of rheumatoid arthritis. See project detail.
