Effectiveness and therapeutic compliance of digital therapy in shoulder rehabilitation: a randomized controlled trial

Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation

Research

Ancuta Copcia¹  Adriana Gerardi¹  Claudia Fortin¹  Antonio Paoli²  Giuseppe Marcolin²  Alex Rizzato²  Erica Gobbi³  Martina Pizzichemi⁴ 

[1] Data Medica group, Synlab S.p.A, CEMES, Padova, Italy;Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo, 3, 35131, Padova, Italy;Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Urbino, Italy;School of Human Movement Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy;

关键词: Digital therapy;    Shoulder rehabilitation;    Engagement;    Pain;    Strength;    Range of motion;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12984-023-01188-7

 received in 2022-03-10, accepted in 2023-05-03,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundInteractive videogames, virtual reality, and robotics represent a new opportunity for multimodal treatments in many rehabilitation contexts. However, several commercial videogames are designed for leisure and are not oriented toward definite rehabilitation goals. Among the many, Playball® (Playwork, Alon 10, Ness Ziona, Israel) is a therapeutic ball that measures both movement and pressure applied on it while performing rehabilitation games. This study aimed: (i) to evaluate whether the use of this novel digital therapy gaming system was clinically effective during shoulder rehabilitation; (ii) to understand whether this gaming rehabilitation program was effective in improving patients’ engagement (perceived enjoyment and self-efficacy during therapy; attitude and intention to train at home) in comparison to a control non-gaming rehabilitation program.MethodsA randomized controlled experimental design was outlined. Twenty-two adults with shoulder pathologies were recruited for a rehabilitation program of ten consecutive sessions. A control (CTRL; N = 11; age: 62.0 ± 10.9 yrs) and an intervention group (PG; N = 11; age: 59.9 ± 10.2 yrs) followed a non-digital and a digital therapy, respectively. The day before (T0) and after (T1) the rehabilitation program, pain, strength, and mobility assessments were performed, together with six questionnaires: PENN shoulder Score, PACES-short, Self-efficacy, Attitudes to train at home, Intention to train at home, and System usability scale (SUS).ResultsMANOVA analysis showed significant improvements in pain (p < 0.01), strength (p < 0.05), and PENN Shoulder Score (p < 0.001) in both groups. Similarly, patients’ engagement improved, with significant increments in Self-efficacy (p < 0.05) and attitude (p < 0.05) scores in both groups after the rehabilitation. Pearson correlation showed significant correlations of the Δ scores (T1 - T0) between PACES and Self-efficacy (r = 0.623; p = 0.041) and between PACES and Intention to train at home (r = 0.674; p = 0.023) only in the PG. SUS score after the rehabilitation (74.54 ± 15.60) overcame the cut-off value of 68, representative of good usability of a device.ConclusionsThe investigated digital therapy resulted as effective as an equivalent non-digital therapy in shoulder rehabilitation. The reported positive relationship between the subject’s enjoyment during digital therapy and intention to train at home suggests promising results in possible patient’s exercise engagement at home after the rehabilitation in the medical center.Retrospectively registeredNCT 05230056.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s) 2023

【 图 表 】

Fig. 1