Medical Fitness and Physical Therapy in the Hotel Industry

Advantages of Having Wellness Programs in Health Resort Enterprises

Abstract: This research examines the importance of integrating medical fitness and physical therapy into the hotel industry. As musculoskeletal issues stemming from poor posture, sedentary lifestyles, and sports injuries become more prevalent, there is a notable increase in the demand for medical fitness programs within health resort businesses.

Within the article, the statistics and development of musculoskeletal problems are analyzed, and potential comorbidities are identified. The phenomena of kinesiotherapy and physiotherapy are considered as ways of rehabilitation after injuries and prevention of various diseases, as well as slowing down and preventing further problems related to the musculoskeletal system. The author notes the importance of an integrated approach to the personalized rehabilitation program implementation. The possibilities and advantages of creating and implementing interdisciplinary rehabilitation programs for accommodation centers are listed. Conclusions about the possibility of developing the health resort industry are drawn taking into account all trigger points and recommendations to increase the relevance and value of health resort enterprises for clients are given.

Musculoskeletal Problems

Currently, 85% of the population suffers from musculoskeletal problems, and statistics show that this number is continuously growing. The main causes of musculoskeletal system diseases are:

• Incorrect body posture.
• Prolonged sitting position.
• Improper walking technique.
• Sedentary lifestyle.
• Traumatic training and sports activities.
• Poor posture.
• Other factors.

A large-scale study on pain, which surveyed 46,000 people from 16 European countries, revealed that the most common complaint was back pain, noted by 32% of participants. Headaches and migraines, often caused by spinal problems, were reported by 15% of those surveyed, while 6% complained of hand pain.

Despite the high incidence of back pain, only 20% of people seek professional help, often when they are already in critical condition. This delay can lead to the development and progression of various related diseases. For instance, 60-100% of individuals with early stages of chronic back pain (osteochondrosis) show signs of CNS dysfunction, depression, and pronounced asymmetry of the muscular system, which displaces organs and disrupts their normal function. Potential problems also include obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and complications during childbirth.

Kinesitherapy as a method of slowing down and preventing diseases of the musculoskeletal system

In such cases, kinesitherapy (from Greek “kinesis” – movement, “therapy” – treatment) – a combination of active and passive movements aimed at developing and improving the elasticity of tendons, the mobility of muscle tissue, large and small joints, and individual spinal segments – becomes an excellent method to slow down and prevent further development of musculoskeletal diseases. A combination of special massage techniques and various exercises without heavy loads can also stabilize and align muscles, bringing them to a normal state.

The term kinesitherapy is not popular or widespread among medical professionals and potential clients. However, another approach, “physiotherapy,” is common. This is a branch of medicine that studies the effects of various thermal, electrical, ultrasonic, magnetic, cryogenic, or natural factors on the human body. This combination of natural and artificial methods is prescribed by a specialist, performed under the supervision of nurses, and is typically used for post-injury rehabilitation and disease prevention.

The Role of the Physiotherapist

In this process, the role of the physiotherapist is crucial, as they not only consult and prescribe necessary procedures but also act as a personal coach, determining personalized rehabilitation solutions tailored to the individual case and continuously monitoring the patient’s condition from start to finish, and sometimes between recovery periods and after completion.

However, the entire process can be streamlined and guarantee excellent results if all specialists work together and are informed about all the details of the restorative therapy. A doctor creates a program based on which a methodologist instructor selects a specific set of exercises. The sessions are conducted by physical therapy instructors, followed by a massage therapist, on whom patients often place all their hopes for immediate recovery. Consequently, such a system cannot produce the desired effect.

This is partly because the training of specialists is conducted exclusively within the framework of physical rehabilitation, which is not sufficient to ensure quality training for future specialists. Therefore, despite the market volume exceeding 125 million euros per year in some countries, the development of the rehabilitation sector requires additional investments in training and preparing qualified personnel, as well as the construction of facilities and places for its implementation.

The Rehabilitation System in Other Countries

In other countries, the rehabilitation system is more developed. For example, in Germany, more than 11% of GDP is allocated for its development, which amounts to about 300 billion dollars. Rehabilitation is one of the attractive areas for the state, so the process is structured differently. Initially, the person conducts a survey aimed at identifying all circumstances that could cause the pain symptoms. Only after this does a council consisting of specialized doctors, including neuropsychologists, physical therapy specialists, occupational therapists, nurses, massage therapists, and aqua massage therapists, determine a personalized program to guide the patient.

In Western countries, the comprehensive understanding is based on an integrated training system that allows future specialists to expand their knowledge and competencies, thereby raising their professional level. For example, while working in a large clinical hospital, a person can simultaneously work and take additional practical courses in rehabilitation, traumatology, orthopedics, respiratory system pathology, neurology, cardiovascular diseases, and other areas. This approach gives the future specialist a broader understanding of the process, helping to select the optimal and most accurate solution for the patient’s problem.

In the context of physical therapy and kinesitherapy, teamwork is also a priority. It allows for the most effective analysis of a person’s motor capabilities, assessment of their function on the FIM rehabilitation quality scale, testing of affected structures, conducting manual muscle testing, sensitivity testing, balance testing, etc. The developed program will be based on scientifically proven methods and can be indicated for spinal diseases, joint diseases, cartilage tissue diseases, muscle frame diseases, flat feet, and generally any pain existing in the back, joints, neck, hands, hips, and other areas.

Kinesitherapy for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases and Increased Immunity

Kinesitherapy can also be recommended for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, boosting immunity, and, of course, for the rehabilitation of various sports injuries. Accordingly, this method is relevant and developing as one of the popular areas of medical fitness.

This fact is confirmed by the steadily growing number of people aged 40 and above who want to engage in sports but cannot do so due to pain syndromes and various illnesses. The inability to maintain high physical activity leads to additional diseases, which significantly reduce the quality of life.

Medical Clinics Are Developing Cosmetology, Dermatology and Opening Spa-relaxation Centers

Modern individuals are not willing to sacrifice anything to improve their quality of life; they strive to have everything comprehensively. Therefore, even when going on vacation, they want access to all medical and wellness services.

As a result, many businesses are turning into a kind of mix. Multidisciplinary medical clinics are actively developing cosmetology, dermatology, and even opening spa-relaxation centers, aiming not only to treat patients but also to make them beautiful, free from stress and depression. Rehabilitation centers and restorative facilities are opening not only based on clinics but also on the premises of spa centers, which obtain medical licenses to open special departments, including physical therapy, therapeutic exercise, kinesitherapy, physiotherapy, and diagnostics.

Implementing Smart Fitness and Spa Programs

Today, hotels, resorts, and spa centers offer a variety of spa programs, traditional gyms with instructor-led sessions, therapeutic exercise programs, and healthy smart fitness programs focused on preventing musculoskeletal issues as part of the evolving medical direction. This allows guests to visit medical centers right on the hotel premises.

Creating and implementing such interdisciplinary programs enables accommodation facilities to offer targeted deposit vouchers under commercial programs and potentially work within voluntary health insurance (VHI) and compulsory health insurance (CHI) frameworks.

Moreover, these programs provide an opportunity to attract a local target audience: combining a good medical base, check-ups, and physical therapy, kinesitherapy, therapeutic exercise, and basic functional neurology in one place allows people to visit it as a regular clinic without additional travel.

Another advantage is the potential for contracts and collaborations with specialized sports organizations that need a good base for athlete rehabilitation and preparation for competitions.

Overall, the implementation of interdisciplinary programs expands business boundaries and market share, as it allows for the attraction of new potential audiences. In this case, these include families coming to hotels for vacation, corporate employees spending weekends at hotels, detox enthusiasts focused on weight loss, and people over 40 suffering from pain who do not want to go to a regular rehabilitation center. The ability to combine work, rest, and supporting recovery programs is a priority, especially for the latter group.

Implementing such smart fitness programs gives hotels the opportunity to apply existing practices, scientific body recovery technologies, and combine preventive medicine practices, existing spa-resort programs, traditional physiotherapy, and new physical therapy directions. It also allows for the use of new treatment methods based on unique European experiences, which are currently little studied or not widely disseminated in facilities due to certain legal reasons.

Such a cross-program product allows for the creation of interesting long-term programs for various patients. Accordingly, combining these programs with hardware aesthetic methods, spa procedures, a good medical base, and quality diagnostics can provide effective assistance to clients.

Several Сhallenges

However, despite its promise, the expansion and development of this area face the following challenges:

• High cost.
• Low-quality services and poor customer care.
• Lack of modern concepts and non-compliance with current trends.

Given the current situation in the spa-resort industry, an optimal approach would be to create a mix: classic sanatoriums need to normalize their sales service and strengthen marketing to improve clients’ final impressions. Commercial organizations should pay attention to the medical component of their business, as many prioritize the recreational part and completely forget that there is a demand for medical procedures among the population.

It is also important to remember the significance of the human factor, the flexibility, and multitasking ability of accommodation staff. Having a flexible policy for problem-solving, a new approach to project development and implementation, quick idea generation, multidisciplinary training, error analysis, training sessions, clear communication processes, understandable scripts, and a healthy corporate culture can maximize the modernization of accommodation facilities, increasing client loyalty and satisfaction with the service.

Conclusion

Thus, by combining advanced approaches to physiotherapy, rehabilitation, and diagnostics, newly built or existing spa-resort facilities can enhance and increase their relevance and value.

The presence of a new approach and physical therapy in the procedural plan, a well-thought-out cross-marketing program that includes physical therapy, kinesitherapy, medical check-ups for neurodiagnostics, traditional thalassotherapy, and balneotherapy tailored to specific patient issues, the implementation of VHI work, expanded functionality, qualified trained staff, and a systematic approach to service delivery open new opportunities for hotel business representatives and contribute to their active development and prosperity.