The Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation of the University of Sao Paulo Medical School Clinical Hospital, IMREA HCFMUSP, was opened in 1975. Initially called Division of Professional Rehabilitation of Vergueiro and, later, the Division of Rehabilitation Medicine of The University of Sao Paulo Medical School Clinical Hospital – DMR HCFMUSP, had its current structure established by brazilian Decree nº 53.979/2009, when it was elevated to the category of Hospital das Clínicas Institute. Currently, IMREA is part of the Lucy Montoro Rehabilitation Network and consists of five units in the São Paulo’s Capital: Vila Mariana, Umarizal, Lapa, Clínicas and Morumbi.
In 1992, the Institute put into operation the first Three-Dimensional Movement Analysis Laboratory, a trend that would be reinforced in 2006, with the inauguration of the first Study Laboratory for Postural Adaptation in Wheelchairs in Brazil.
In 2010, when inaugurating the Clinical Research Center, IMREA also inaugurated advanced technological resources for treatment and diagnosis, including innovative equipment for developing patients’ physical potential. IMREA invested in new robotics and rehabilitation technologies and set up the most modern Robotics Laboratory in Brazil.
The Robotics Laboratory works on the upper and lower limbs through virtual games: InMotion helps the patient perform shoulder, elbow and wrist movements; Lokomat is indicated for people with locomotor system disabilities; Ergys allows people with little or no movement in their legs to pedal; and Armeo Spring is for patients with traumatic brain injury or other nervous system disorders. All robots promote movements in the affected areas and improve brain plasticity, causing the brain to adapt to the injury that occurred in the body.
More recently, Vivax was incorporated into the technological resource options, a robotics system that enables more realistic three-dimensional movements of the upper limbs, previously unachievable by any other technology. The novelty is 100% national and among its advantages is its portability – the device weighs 15 kilos, around 7 times lighter than equipment available on the market – favoring home treatment. In addition to being lighter and cheaper, the system offers, through gamified resources, greater auditory and visual feedback to patients suffering from stroke, cerebral palsy, brain injury, spinal cord injury, head trauma and degenerative diseases.
