Thursday, 18 June 2026
*The lecture will be conducted in Dutch, except for the keynote by Prof. Bourazeri, which will be delivered in English.
Long-term rehabilitation for chronic musculoskeletal conditions remains a major clinical challenge, with suboptimal adherence limiting patient outcomes. This multidisciplinary lecture at the University of Antwerp brings together expertise from rehabilitation science and human–computer interaction to explore how sustainable engagement in rehabilitation can be achieved.
Prof. Nathalie Roussel will open the session by addressing the patient's perspective on long-term rehabilitation, highlighting key barriers and facilitators to adherence. She will frame rehabilitation within a biopsychosocial model, emphasizing the interaction between behavioral, psychological, and physiological processes in persistent musculoskeletal pain.
Prof. Jonas Verbrugghe will then focus on the design of exercise therapy in long-term rehabilitation. He will discuss how principles such as exercise dosing, variability, and progression can be applied to optimize physiological and behavioral adaptation. Particular attention will be given to tailoring interventions to individual patient profiles, ensuring that rehabilitation is both effective and sustainable over time.
The keynote lecture by Prof. Katerina Bourazeri (University of Essex, UK) will build on this framework by introducing gamification and digital engagement strategies. Drawing from human–computer interaction research, she will demonstrate how game design principles can support motivation, personalize rehabilitation experiences, and enhance long-term adherence.
Dr. Rob Vanderstraeten will conclude the session by offering a clinical perspective on how these insights can be applied in the management of chronic low back pain. Building on his work, he will reflect on the challenge clinicians face in selecting and tailoring exercise therapy to individual patients, and how this uncertainty extends to the use of digital and gamified approaches. He will briefly discuss how aligning both exercise and technological support with patients’ needs, preferences, and goals may enhance long-term adherence, and highlight directions for future research.
Together, this lecture aims to bridge patient-centered care, exercise science, and digital innovation to support more effective and sustainable rehabilitation outcomes.