Biomedical Engineering students visit the Alcoitão Rehabilitation Centre

As part of the Biomechanics curricular unit, taught by Professor Doctor Pedro Aleixo, students from the 2nd and 3rd years of the Bachelor’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering undertook a study visit to the Gait Laboratory of the Alcoitão Rehabilitation Medicine Centre.

The laboratory, established in 1998, represents an important complementary diagnostic resource, providing valuable information to support well-founded clinical decision-making. The students also had the opportunity to get to know a space dedicated to clinical practice, where advanced technologies are used for the objective analysis of human movement.

The students were able to closely observe the collection of data on each patient’s gait pattern. This process is carried out with the support of several high-precision infrared cameras, while specialised platforms allow for the assessment of balance and postural control. This equipment makes it possible to analyse aspects of movement that would be impossible to detect through visual observation alone, including spatiotemporal parameters, kinematics, dynamics, muscle activation patterns and plantar pressure distribution.

During the visit, the students also had the opportunity to try an electromyography device, which made it possible to observe, in real time, how muscles are activated when force is applied with the arm or when specific movements are performed, through the electrical response generated by the muscles. This practical experience allowed for a direct understanding of muscle function and the respective motor coordination.

The analysis carried out goes far beyond simple visual observation. The data collected make it possible to characterise movement across different dimensions, quantify deviations from normality, compare cases and develop personalised intervention programmes. This approach, centred on the individual and aligned with the principles of precision medicine, makes it possible to propose therapeutic solutions adapted to the specific needs of each patient, including functional re-education, orthotic devices, medication or combinations thereof.

Another point highlighted during the visit was the multidisciplinary nature of the laboratory. The team includes a physician, a biomedical engineer, a physiotherapist and a laboratory technician, working together to ensure a comprehensive and integrated assessment. At medical request, examinations are carried out on adults and children with neurological, neurodevelopmental or musculoskeletal conditions, or in situations of amputation.

For the students, the visit represented more than simply observing technology; it was a way of understanding, in practice, the connection between the theory taught in the classroom and clinical reality.

We would like to extend our thanks for the availability of Dr Miguel Montez and Professor João Abrantes for giving us the opportunity to receive us and to clarify much of what is done in this field of Biomechanics.