310 research outputs found
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The Feasibility of a Telehealth Exercise Program Aimed at Increasing Cardiorespiratory Fitness for People After Stroke
Full text linkBackground: Accessing suitable fitness programs post-stroke is difficult for many. The feasibility of telehealth delivery has not been previously reported.Objectives: To assess the feasibility of, and level of satisfaction with home-based telehealth-supervised aerobic exercise training post-stroke.Methods: Twenty-one ambulant participants (?3 months post-stroke) participated in a home-based telehealth-supervised aerobic exercise program (3 d/week, moderate-vigorous intensity, 8-weeks) and provided feedback via questionnaire postintervention. Session details, technical issues, and adverse events were also recorded.Results: Feasibility was high (83% of volunteers met telehealth eligibility criteria, 85% of sessions were conducted by telehealth, and 95% of participants rated usability favourably). Ninety-five percent enjoyed telehealth exercise sessions and would recommend them to others. The preferred telehealth exercise program parameters were: frequency 3 d/week, duration 20-30 min/session, program length 6-12 weeks.Conclusion: The telehealth delivery of exercise sessions to people after stroke appear
Comparative Efficacy of Clinic-Based and Telerehabilitation Application of McKenzie Therapy in Chronic Low-Back Pain
Full text linkStudies on validation of telerehabilitation as an effective platform to help manage as well as reduce burden of care for Low-Back Pain (LBP) are sparse. This study compared the effects of Telerehabilitation-Based McKenzie Therapy (TBMT) and Clinic-Based McKenzie Therapy (CBMT) among patients with LBP. Forty-seven consenting patients with chronic LBP who demonstrated ‘directional preference’ for McKenzie Extension Protocol (MEP) completed this quasi experimental study. The participants were assigned into either the CBMT or TBMT group using block permuted randomization. Participants in the CBMT and TBMT groups received MEP involving a specific sequence of lumbosacral repeated movements in extension aimed to centralize, decrease, or abolish symptoms, thrice weekly for eight weeks. TBMT is a comparable version of CBMT performed in the home with the assistance of a mobile phone app. Outcomes were assessed at the 4th and 8th weeks of the study in terms of Pain Intensity (PI), Back Extensors Muscles’ Endurance (BEME), Activity Limitation (AL), Participation Restriction (PR), and General Health Status (GHS). Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Alpha level was set at p< 0.05.Within-group comparison across baseline, 4th and 8th weeks indicate that both CBMT and TBMT had significant effects on PI (p=0.001), BEME (p=0.001), AL (p=0.001), PR (p=0.001) and GHS (p=0.001) respectively. However, there were no significant differences (p>0.05) in the treatment effects between TBMT and CBMT, except for ‘vitality’ (p=0.011) scale in the GHS where TBMT led to significantly higher mean score. Mobile-app platform of the McKenzie extension protocol has comparable clinical outcomes with the traditional clinic-based McKenzie Therapy, and thus is an effective supplementary platform for care of patients with low-back pain
Usability of an Immersive Augmented Reality Based Telerehabilitation System with Haptics (ARTESH) for Synchronous Remote Musculoskeletal Examination
Full text linkThis study describes the features and utility of a novel augmented reality based telemedicine system with haptics that allows the sense of touch and direct physical examination during a synchronous immersive telemedicine consultation and physical examination. The system employs novel engineering features: (a) a new force enhancement algorithm to improve force rendering and overcoming the “just-noticeable-difference” limitation; (b) an improved force compensation method to reduce the delay in force rendering; (c) use of the “haptic interface point” to reduce disparity between the visual and haptic data; and (d) implementation of efficient algorithms to process, compress, decompress, transmit and render 3-D tele-immersion data. A qualitative pilot study (n=20) evaluated the usability of the system. Users rated the system on a 26-question survey using a seven-point Likert scale, with percent agreement calculated from the total users who agreed with a given statement. Survey questions fell into three main categories: (1) ease and simplicity of use, (2) quality of experience, and (3) comparison to in-person evaluation. Average percent agreements between the telemedicine and in-person evaluation were highest for ease and simplicity of use (86%) and quality of experience (85%), followed by comparison to in-person evaluation (58%). Eighty-nine percent (89%) of respondents expressed satisfaction with the overall quality of experience. Results suggest that the system was effective at conveying audio-visual and touch data in real-time across 20.3 miles, and warrants further development.
Telerehabilitation In The Treatment Of Frozen Shoulder: A Case Report
Full text linkBackground and objectives: Frozen shoulder is a common musculoskeletal condition. Telerehabilitation has seen emerging use in a variety of conditions. This case report aims to investigate the feasibility of adopting telerehabilitation in treating frozen shoulder. Case presentation: A 43-year old female presented with frozen shoulder of insidious onset. She underwent four sessions of physiotherapy. Sessions two and three were telerehabilitation sessions; the initial and final sessions were conducted in-person. Results: The subject was compliant with all exercises prescribed during her rehabilitation and achieved all rehabilitation goals in four sessions. She was then discharged from physiotherapy. Conclusion: Telerehabilitation is feasible in treating frozen shoulder. One barrier to implementation of telerehabilitation includes the lack of technical skills and knowledge despite the high prevalence of technology in today’s society. Telerehabilitation increases accessibility and ease of rehabilitation. Telerehabilitation can be considered for segments of the population that are most inclined to use technology
Safety and Feasibility of a First-Person View, Full-Body Interaction Game for Telerehabilitation Post-Stroke
Full text linkThis study explored the feasibility and safety of pairing the Microsoft Kinect® sensor with the Oculus Rift® Head Mounted Display (HMD) as a telerehabilitation technology platform for persons post-stroke. To test initial safety, fourteen participants without disabilities (age 30 ± 8.8 years) engaged in a game-based task using the Microsoft Kinect® with a first-person view using the Oculus Rift®. These tasks were repeated for five participants post-stroke (age 56 ± 3.0 years). No significant adverse events occurred in either study population. When using the Oculus Rift® HMD, three participants without disabilities reported dizziness and nausea. All of the participants post-stroke required hands-on assistance for balance and fall prevention. The intensive nature of physical support necessary for this type of interaction limits the application as a telerehabilitation intervention. Given the increasing availability of HMDs for commercial use, it is crucial that the safety of immersive games and technologies for telerehabilitation is fully explored
Feasibility and Effectiveness of Telehealth Occupational Therapy Home Modification Interventions
Full text linkDespite the effectiveness of occupational therapy home modification interventions, persons with disabilities may not receive them due to service delivery costs, limited number of therapists, and expansive geographic service areas. The need for occupational therapy home modification interventions will increase with the rising U.S. aging population, incidence of chronic illness, and shift toward community-based care. This study examined the feasibility of telehealth occupational therapy home modification interventions using participant owned smart phones, tablets, or computers. A pretest posttest design (n=4) demonstrated improvement in home safety and perception of performance of daily activities. Participants reported satisfaction with the mode of intervention citing ease of use and reduction in client and caregiver burden. Two key implementation challenges were (1) inconsistent quality of synchronous audio and video and (2) limited funding for home modification interventions. A large-scale telehealth occupational therapy home modification interventions pilot study is warranted.
