Evaluating the usability and effectiveness of the Go PainFree telehealth system (beta version) for musculoskeletal pain management in the Philippines

Abstract

Biomechanical Taping has been shown to effectively reduce pain and enhance function in patients with musculoskeletal pain. When used as an adjunct to physiotherapy, BMT may contribute to increased stability, leading to improved pain management and functionality. Telehealth has emerged as an effective and cost-efficient alternative to traditional physiotherapy. The Go PainFree Telehealth System, employs BMT to alleviate pain and improve functionality, enhancing the overall effectiveness of online therapy services for patients with musculoskeletal conditions.The study determined the usability of the system in managing musculoskeletal conditions for patients accessing healthcare online, focusing on its usefulness, ease of use and learnability, interface quality, interaction quality, reliability, satisfaction, and future use. Also, the study examined the effectiveness of BMT on pain and function in individuals with musculoskeletal conditions when integrated into the system after a single session.This retrospective study reviewed the records of the system between November 2022 and February 2023. Evaluating the system's usability involved the integration of the Telehealth Usability Questionnaire within the system survey, serving as a reliable instrument for assessing the quality of telehealth applications from the users' perspective. Participants rated various parts, including usefulness, ease of use and learnability, interface quality, interaction quality, reliability, and satisfaction and future use. To determine the effectiveness of BMT, the 100-mm Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used before and after a single session. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, allowing for the summarization of demographic information and the reporting of average mean (95 % (CI)) for each usability category of the TUQ. The effectiveness of BMT on pain and function was determined using the Wilcoxon test for paired samples after one session. P < 0.05 indicates significant improvement in pain and function. This study involved 33 participants, with a mean (SD) age of 34.94 ± 2.04, who used the system between November 2022 and February 2023. The majority of reported musculoskeletal conditions pertained to the upper extremity (n = 19), followed by the lower extremity (n = 8), and spine (6). The findings revealed that participants generally considered the system useful, easy to use and learn, and had good interface and interaction quality, as shown by average scores of five in these categories, indicating "somewhat agree." Conversely, participants expressed reservations about the system's reliability, with an average score of 3 reflecting "somewhat disagree." As for their satisfaction with the system and the likelihood of future use, participants showed mixed opinions, with an average score of 4 representing "neither agree nor disagree." The study showed BMT significantly reduced pain scores (Z = −4.80, p < 0.001, two-tailed) and enhanced function scores (Z = −4.87, p < 0.0001, two-tailed) for participants with musculoskeletal conditions.The system was generally regarded by the participants as useful, user-friendly, and characterized by high-quality interface and interaction. Despite these positive perceptions, concerns about the platform's reliability emerged, and opinions about satisfaction and future use were mixed. Still, the integration of BMT into the system yielded significant reductions in pain and improvement in function for the participants with musculoskeletal conditions.