In Mexico, recovering from an injury or learning to walk again can be more complex than it should be. The country faces a structural deficit in physiotherapy: there is only one specialist for every 10,000 inhabitants, far from the international recommendation. More than six million Mexicans live with some disability, and at least half of them face difficulties walking or moving. Faced with a traditional model limited by the availability of specialists and physical infrastructure, technology opens an alternative that not only expands coverage but also redefines the way rehabilitation is understood. To bridge this gap, Mexican HealthTech startup Small Haughton Rehab Franquicias (SHRF) emerged, founded by Dr. Lorenzo Small Haughton—a rehabilitation specialist with over four decades of clinical experience—and Gustavo Santa Rosa, a mathematician trained at the University of Cambridge with a background in international banking and investments. Their proposal is to integrate artificial intelligence and augmented reality into the clinical protocol, aiming to transform patient assessment, treatment, and monitoring. Through the analysis of biomechanical patterns, the system allows for the detection of abnormalities with greater precision, the design of personalized therapies, and the real-time adjustment of exercises as each case evolves. The most visible change is in how progress is measured. What was once heavily dependent on clinical observation can now be translated into concrete data that reduces variability among specialists and enables more timely interventions. Instead of centralizing care, the strategy seeks to multiply it by building a network that combines in-person and remote care under the same technological standard. Today, this approach is already operating in Mexico City, serving hundreds of patients a year, with plans to expand to other regions of the country.
