Effects of atelerehabilitation-based exercise program in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of telerehabilitation-based exercise programs in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients. Forty-six SSc patients were randomly separated into two groups as telerehabilitation and control. Videos comprising clinical Pilates-based exercises were designed and uploaded to YouTube™ for the telerehabilitation group by physiotherapists. Avideo interview was conducted with the SSc patients once aweek and an exercise program was performed twice daily for 8weeks in the telerehabilitation group. The same exercise programs were printed on paper brochures and patients were instructed on their application in the form of ahome exercise program to be continued for 8weeks in the control group. Pain, fatigue, quality of life, sleep, physical activity, anxiety, and depression were assessed in all patients at the beginning and end of the study. The clinical and demographic characteristics were similar in both groups (p > 0.05). Fatigue, pain, anxiety, and depression decreased in both groups, while quality of life and sleep quality increased after the exercise program (p < 0.05). However, the improvements in the telerehabilitation group were statistically more significant than in the control group for all studied parameters (p < 0.05). The results of our study demonstrate the superior efficacy of telerehabilitation-based treatment programs over home exercise programs, hence, we suggest widespread use of this innovative treatment program in SSc patients.