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R. Vaj1, G. Rusconi1, R. Jauregui2, M. Conti3
1Riabilitazione Rusconi, Como, Italy, 2DyCare, Barcelona, Spain, 3Humanitas Research Hospital, milan, Italy
Background: The rehabilitation of GH capsulitis is a well-known high costs & time-consuming procedure for both patients and physiotherapists, given the high volume of one-to-one in-office rehab sessions, with high social contacts.
Purpose: Try to find a new way to reduce costs and social contacts, trying to merge few one-to-one in office treatment session with more home-based exercise sessions.
Methods: 14 patients (8 women 6 men, 47yrs average) affected by GH capsulitis (no other shoulder lesions) were randomly assigned on two groups: G1,G2.
G1 = control group: 4 weeks of standard protocol of 3 sessions therapy per week of standard one-to-one in-office modality
G2 = intervention group: 4-6 per week home-based sessions exercise therapy using tablet-PC ReHub app (by DyCare) remotely monitored by physiotherapists, mixed with 1 one-to-one session every 2 weeks. ReHub system remotely monitored adherence to the program in term of type & quantity of exercise.
(G1) & (G2) Quick Dash outcome pre-post intervention was evaluated.
(G2) was also requested to evaluate ReHub usability with SUS validated questionnaire.
G1 = control group: 4 weeks of standard protocol of 3 sessions therapy per week of standard one-to-one in-office modality
G2 = intervention group: 4-6 per week home-based sessions exercise therapy using tablet-PC ReHub app (by DyCare) remotely monitored by physiotherapists, mixed with 1 one-to-one session every 2 weeks. ReHub system remotely monitored adherence to the program in term of type & quantity of exercise.
(G1) & (G2) Quick Dash outcome pre-post intervention was evaluated.
(G2) was also requested to evaluate ReHub usability with SUS validated questionnaire.
Results:
- (G1) Quick Dash pre-therapy was 35 (over 100) and 33,4 for G2 – (G1) post-therapy was 26,8 and 10,6 for (G2) with significant difference (p<0,001) between G2 pre and G2 post therapy
- (G2) 4 weeks average number of exercises performed was 74,3 + 2 one-to-one in-office sessions compared to 12 one-to-one (G1) sessions managed in-office by physio
- (G2) ReHub platform usability evaluation done using SUS questionnaire scored 80,2 over 100 (SD 10,2)
- SUS highest scored questions:
- Patients don’t think they needed to learn a lot of things to use it
- Patients think that the majority of patients can easly use ReHub
- Patients don’t think they would need the help of an expert to use it
- Patients thought they would like to use ReHub frequently
- (G2) Patient adherence reached 74,1% for G2 (ratio completed exercises over programmed exercise)
Conclusion(s): Despite the little number of patients tested the new proposed approach for GH capsulitis rehabilitation based on remotely offline monitored exercises (G2 group) seems to obtain, in the same therapy time, more positive results than the standard approach based on one-to-one in-office sessions.
The significantly better G2 group clinical outcomes probably reflects the higher volume of work done and the great adherence to the home based exercise program, much higher than reported in literature.
It must also be pointed out that this approach reduces patients time related costs and stress to join in-office sessions and also reduce social contacts.
Results globally shows the critical role of a dedicated web platform like ReHub that enable patients to do a bigger volume of work, when and where they want, in a safe remotely monitored manner, always empowered by the platform or therapist, through the platform feedback.
ReHub platform usability has been positively evaluated demonstrating patients’ appreciation as an easy-to-use interactive instrument.
The significantly better G2 group clinical outcomes probably reflects the higher volume of work done and the great adherence to the home based exercise program, much higher than reported in literature.
It must also be pointed out that this approach reduces patients time related costs and stress to join in-office sessions and also reduce social contacts.
Results globally shows the critical role of a dedicated web platform like ReHub that enable patients to do a bigger volume of work, when and where they want, in a safe remotely monitored manner, always empowered by the platform or therapist, through the platform feedback.
ReHub platform usability has been positively evaluated demonstrating patients’ appreciation as an easy-to-use interactive instrument.
Implications: The proposed approach seems be able to give impressive clinical results reducing patients time related costs and social patient/physiotherapist contacts, a value to be considered during pandemic times.
Funding, acknowledgements: This study is supported by the European Union’s H2020-SME Instrument programme under grant agreement No 811755.
Keywords: Telerehabilitation, Monitored rehabilitation, Wearable
Topic: Innovative technology: information management, big data and artificial intelligence
Did this work require ethics approval? No
Institution: Riabilitazione Rusconi, Como, IT
Committee: Riabilitazione Rusconi
Reason: Investigated product is CE-marked Class I. Risk management and protocol evaluation determined no approval was needed. Patients signed consent forms.
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
