New for Your Therapy Toolbox: The Visible Body iPad App

The Visible Body 3D Human Anatomy Atlas is, well, wicked awesome! Touted by it's developer as “…A revolutionary 3D human anatomy visualization and learning tool”, this application for the iPad 2 could keep just about anyone engrossed for hours on end. Therapists, students and patients have an enormous interactive database, quite literally, at their fingertips. Packed with over 2,500 anatomical structures, this funky app is also pretty fun to play with. Exploration of human anatomy has never been so breath-taking or downright easy. The Visible Body takes full advantage of the intuitive finger controls of the iPad 2, dissecting the human body with a flick here and a tap there. Information is easy to access, simply select the bit you want to know more about and tap the “Definition” tab and up pops a full description. Alternatively you can use the search function to quickly find what you're looking for. While the amount of information might not be quite as comprehensive as a traditional medical textbook, The Visible Body app is unquestioningly the next step in the evolution in medical applications. It delivers a virtual “hands on” experience that lifts illustrations to a higher level by allowing users to manipulate the image and delve even deeper into it’s components. For an idea of how it works click here for a short tutorial video. The application has a very reasonable price point of $29.99. Make sure you’ve got a strong wifi connection, the download will take some time. Also available from the iTunes store are several smaller applications available for $9.99 that focus on specific sections of the anatomy. Of particular interest for physical therapists is the company's new 3D Muscular Premium Anatomy ($19.99) which "...provides a revolutionary environment for understanding 600+ muscles in the human body". Therapists will find a whole new avenue for patient education that's not only affordable but engaging. Jon DeBord, one of our course instructors, loves the app and the way it can help his patients understand what's going on in their treatment by pinpointing the trouble spots and peeling away the layers for a deeper look:

 The Visible Body is also available as a desktop application, and while the navigation might not be as smooth and easy as the iPad, the benefits of seeing the fabulous graphics on a big screen definitely makes up for it.

The Visible Body application is a uniquely impressive and detailed interactive 3D model of human anatomy. A very affordable resource for teachers and students, it has definite value for doctors and therapists wanting a tool for patient education. Bonus: you don't have to scrub up to explore this human body!