"Self-management support is the key to vital and active movement," says Bart Visser, human movement scientist. But how can we motivate people to integrate active movement into their daily lives and sustain it beyond a treatment programme? This question is central to his scientific career.
Visser studied human movement sciences at VU Amsterdam. As a researcher in the Department of Human Movement Sciences, he focused primarily on working conditions and ergonomics. In 2010, he transitioned to Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (HvA), where he now serves as professor of Exercise Therapy – Daily Movement! and scientific director of the Centre of Expertise Urban Vitality. Practice-based research on independence and self-management has been a recurring theme in Visser's work. “My inaugural address at Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences was titled It’s up to you, borrowed from Bess Mensendieck, the founder of the treatment method. In 1931, she wrote a book of the same name, centring on self-management.”
Visser will now combine his work at the HvA with his newly appointed endowed chair in Self-Management Support for Vital Movement at VU Amsterdam. This role bridges practice-based research and academic knowledge, aiming to make vital movement accessible to all.
Technological solutions
Exercise therapists and physiotherapists face the challenge of supporting people in taking ownership of their own health, drawing on their expertise in movement. “Sometimes providing information is effective, but at other times, it is about offering the right tools. Connecting people with peers can also be helpful,” explains Visser. “The starting point of treatment might be neck or back pain, but the focus quickly shifts to the various factors around you that can keep you moving.”
Together with colleagues from diverse disciplines, Visser develops innovative solutions, such as systemic approaches to prevention and individualised support for recovery and rehabilitation. Technology plays a crucial role in this. Visser says, “We explore how technology can improve healthcare while simultaneously reducing the burden on healthcare providers.”
One innovative approach under investigation is blended care, which combines face-to-face contact with a therapist, digital support via tablets or phones, and fully independent exercises and information provided through apps. “We are seeking a balance where technology not only eases the pressure on healthcare but also delivers the best results for patients,” he explains.
All ages
Visser’s research targets a wide range of groups who are under the care of a healthcare provider or exercise therapist, from elderly individuals recovering from a hip fracture to children with lung diseases. “Especially now, with healthcare shortages, it is crucial that people can take charge of their own recovery. However, they still need support to do so.” Therapists adopt a coaching role, with behaviour as a central focus of recovery. “Digital technologies and applications can provide essential support in this process,” he adds. To achieve this, Visser collaborates not only with movement scientists and applied psychologists but also with IT specialists, designers, therapists, and patients themselves.
Visser’s research explores how technology can support people of all ages. He is often asked whether elderly people are open to digital tools. “Older adults are often curious and willing to try out new technology,” he says. “By developing technology together with patients – in co-creation – we increase the likelihood of them using these applications and even becoming ambassadors for others.”
Visser emphasises that the success of technology does not only depend on the patient but also on the healthcare provider. “Healthcare professionals must have the time and resources to implement technology. That’s why I aim to raise awareness of technological innovations in education and how these can support the healthcare professionals of the future.”
The endowed chair aligns with the desire of universities and universities of applied sciences to strengthen collaborations. Throughout his career, Visser has always connected fundamental knowledge with practical applications. “A good dialogue ensures that practice-based questions reach science and that answers flow back into practice.”
Moreover, the endowed chair at VU Amsterdam brings a sense of familiarity to Visser. “When I climb the stairs of this building, it feels a bit like coming home.” And the necessary daily exercise that comes with it is a welcome bonus.