Authors (including presenting author) :
Cheung KY, Pang JCY, Li MK, Yeung KC
Introduction :
Home exercise program is fundamental and important in physiotherapy. A newly developed activity based prescribing system (ABPS) was established in ‘HA Go’ mobile application in October 2019 allowing physiotherapist to prescribe video-based home exercise program via patients’ mobile phones. A pilot trial was established to investigate the effect of ABPS in knee osteoarthritis patients (OAK).
Objectives :
To evaluate the effect of ABPS in OAK patients
Methodology :
Patients recruited were equally divided into control and study group. Both groups received a course of 6-session physiotherapy treatment and a 30-minute home exercise program. Physiotherapy treatment included education on exercise, knee mobilization and strengthening exercises and gait education. Both groups received home exercise pamphlets with study group received additional video-based home exercise guidance via ABPS.
The Numerical Global Rate of Change Score (NGRCS), Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and Time up and go test (TUG) of both groups were evaluated at the 1st and last physiotherapy session. The compared mean of outcome measures were analyzed using paired t-test in SPSS. Exercise adherence were evaluated at the last physiotherapy session by patients’ self-report on number of days, minutes and overall percentage of performing prescribed exercises per week. A questionnaire was used to evaluate patients’ satisfaction on ABPS.
Result & Outcome :
A total of 20 OAK patients were recruited for the trial. Both groups illustrated statistically significant improvement in NPRS (4.9 + 2.6) and (2.333 + 1.8), P< 0.05; Yet, no significant difference was found in KOOS, TUG and NGRCS post physiotherapy treatment and between groups. Both groups illustrated similar exercise adherence with control and study group showing 51% and 50% of adherence respectively. The questionnaire on patients’ satisfaction on ABPS showing patients are highly satisfied with an 80% satisfaction.
This clinical trial acted as a pioneer study in investigating the effect of the newly developed ABPS. Both groups illustrated improvement in pain reduction with study group showing high satisfaction on the use of ABPS. With short period of exercises given, further study with longer follow-up is necessary to investigate the effect of ABPS in long term exercise adherence. Meanwhile, with the increasing trend of mobile phone usage, ABPS demonstrates great potential in enhancing long term exercise adherence in the future.
