TheraPose wins Rep. Frank Pallone’s 2023 Congressional App Challenge in New Jersey’s Sixth District

When asked what inspired the creation of TheraPose, the students said, “Our main inspiration for creating TheraPose arose from personal struggles within our own families. My late grandmother, who bravely battled osteoarthritis, sadly had to cancel necessary physical therapy due to the hefty costs associated with it. Witnessing the toll it took on my family, we were determined to seek an affordable solution that could provide effective rehabilitation support to those suffering from similar musculoskeletal conditions. Since she was unable to recover without physical therapy, we wanted to create something for a future where individuals, regardless of their financial constraints, can access quality rehabilitation services.

In addition, our experiences volunteering at local healthcare facilities and interacting with patients undergoing physical therapy inspired us to create this app. We witnessed their dedication to recovery despite the limitations posed by traditional rehabilitation methods and their stories of resilience and challenges they faced in accessing personalized and affordable care deeply resonated with us. The demanding schedules, long wait times, and limited availability of skilled therapists often resulted in delays and disruptions in the treatment process. Additionally, the necessity of frequent travel to healthcare facilities placed a considerable burden on the patients and their families, especially those living in remote and underserved areas. Our observations of the variability in the quality and availability of therapists, especially in regions with limited access to specialized healthcare services, also highlighted the potential for technology to bridge this gap. Witnessing these inconveniences revealed the need for a technology-driven solution that could offer accessible and efficient rehabilitation support, eliminating the barriers posed by geographical constraints and limited resources.

One particularly impactful experience that influenced the development of TheraPose was the story of a young athlete, Jake, we met during our volunteer work at a local sports clinic. He had suffered a severe knee injury that required extensive rehabilitation. Despite the dedicated efforts of the therapy team, the inconsistency in his recovery progress became a source of frustration and uncertainty for both him and his family. Witnessing his struggle to regain his strength and return to the sport he loved inspired us to explore how technology could provide a better approach to his rehabilitation. This experience showed us the potential for TheraPose to offer personalized, data-backed insights and consistent feedback, ensuring that patients like him could track their progress more accurately and regain their confidence in the recovery process.”