Abstract
BackgroundIsolation due to a COVID-19 infection can limit activities and cause physical and mental decline, especially in older adults and people with disabilities. However, due to limited contact, adequate rehabilitation is difficult to provide for quarantined patients. Telerehabilitation technology could be a solution; however, issues specific to COVID-19 should be taken into consideration, such as strict quarantine and respiratory symptoms, as well as accessibility to deal with rapid increases in need due to the pandemic.ObjectiveThis study aims to develop and to investigate the feasibility of a telerehabilitation system for patients who are quarantined due to COVID-19 by combining existing commercial devices and computer applications.MethodsA multidisciplinary team has identified the requirements for a telerehabilitation system for COVID-19 and developed the system to satisfy those requirements. In the subsequent feasibility study, patients diagnosed with COVID-19 (N=10; mean age 60 years, SD 18 years) were included. A single session of telerehabilitation consisted of stretching exercises, a 15-minute exercise program, and a video exercise program conducted under real-time guidance by a physical therapist through a video call. The system included a tablet computer, a pulse oximeter, videoconferencing software, and remote control software. The feasibility of the system was evaluated using the Telemedicine Satisfaction Questionnaire (TSQ; 14 items) and an additional questionnaire on the telerehabilitation system (5 items). Each item was rated from “1 = strongly disagree” to “5 = strongly agree.”ResultsThe telerehabilitation system was developed by combining existing devices and applications, including a pulse oximeter and remote control mechanism, to achieve user-friendliness, affordability, and safety, which were determined as the system requirements. In the feasibility study, 9 out of 10 patients were able to use the telerehabilitation system without any on-site help. On the TSQ, the mean score for each item was 4.7 (SD 0.7), and in the additional items regarding telerehabilitation, the mean score for each item was 4.3 (SD 1.0).ConclusionsThese findings support the feasibility of this simple telerehabilitation system in quarantined patients with COVID-19, encouraging further investigation on the merit of the system’s use in clinical practice.
Highlights
Despite global efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, which was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 12, 2020 [1], the virus is showing no signs of slowing down
The telerehabilitation system was developed by combining existing devices and applications, including a pulse oximeter and remote control mechanism, to achieve user-friendliness, affordability, and safety, which were determined as the system requirements
Providing rehabilitation by alleviating the functional decline experienced by individuals in isolation due to COVID-19 should be a solution to this issue [3]
Summary
Despite global efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, which was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 12, 2020 [1], the virus is showing no signs of slowing down. Isolation limits activities and may cause physical and mental decline, among older adults and people with disabilities [2]. In many previous studies in telerehabilitation, patients were given an opportunity to practice the exercise and operation under the supervision of therapists prior to the start of telerehabilitation [6,7,8]. This method cannot be applied to patients with COVID-19 because they are already quarantined when they start the telerehabilitation program. Isolation due to a COVID-19 infection can limit activities and cause physical and mental decline, especially in older adults and people with disabilities. Telerehabilitation technology could be a solution; issues specific to COVID-19 should be taken into consideration, such as strict quarantine and respiratory symptoms, as well as accessibility to deal with rapid increases in need due to the pandemic
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