Apple Partners With Zimmer Biomet for New Patient Clinical Study for Joint Replacement Recovery

Health has become a major focus of Apple, especially since the company first introduced the Apple Watch. That effort has only increased as the smartwatch has become a go-to source for so many owners trying to keep a healthy lifestyle.

Part of that effort comes from partnerships with health-related organizations, and today one of those entities has announced a brand new partnership with Apple to see even more attention paid to those who have undergone joint replacement surgery. On Monday, Zimmer Biomet officially announced the new partnership, which will see the use of the Apple Watch and iPhone, along with a specific app, help those who have gone through hip and knee replacement surgery.

“We are incredibly excited to work with Apple to transform the knee and hip replacement experience for patients and surgeons,” said Bryan Hanson, President and CEO, Zimmer Biomet. “At Zimmer Biomet, we are committed to improving care decisions through digital health and we are thrilled to launch one of the largest evidence-gathering clinical studies in orthopaedic history.”

This will see the light of day through a vast clinical study. It starts with the new “mymobility” app from Zimmer Biomet, which will see a new level of connectivity between patients that have gone under the knife for joint replacement and with their doctors. The doctor can provide “support and guidance” through the app, with surgeons able to help create specific care plans based on the individual’s results displayed through the app.

This all comes to a head with Zimmer Biomet’s new clinical research study, which will focus on determining the impact the app has on those recovering from joint replacement surgery, especially with the use of the iPhone and Apple Watch. The new study will include up to 10,000 people when it’s all said and done, with those in the study required to use the mymobility app on their Apple Watch to keep tabs on their recovery.

Zimmer Biomet will then be taking the feedback from the individuals, along with the data the app collects, and determine how helpful the new technology is. Joint replacement surgery, especially for knees and hips, are some of the most common in the United States. A clinical study like this could indicate that an Apple Watch, an iPhone, and an app can help recovery in a big way for a lot of people.

Our Take

These types of studies are important, and not just because it’s another feather in Apple’s cap when it comes to promoting the Apple Watch’s focus on health. There is no doubt that these devices, the wearable market, is one that can help improve the livelihood of folks trying to stay healthy, but if it can also help improve the recovery of post-surgery folks, that’s fantastic.

[via Zimmer Biomet (1); (2)

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