‘Keep on training with ReVi’ mHealth app for Assisting and Monitoring Aerobic Exercise in Slowly Progressive Neuromuscular Diseases: Usability and Adherence

Abstract

<h3>Research Objectives</h3> To determine the usability of the ‘Keep on training with ReVi' mHealth app (ReVi) and to assess the adherence to aerobic exercise when using ReVi. <h3>Design</h3> Observational study. <h3>Setting</h3> Outpatient clinic; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine of a University hospital. <h3>Participants</h3> 4 ambulatory adult subjects (2 women and 2 men; 30, 46 and 63 [n=2] years old) with a slowly progressive neuromuscular disease; myotonic dystrophy, non-specific myositis, hereditary motor sensory neuropathy and congenital muscular dystrophy. <h3>Interventions</h3> Subjects performed a 4-month polarized home-based aerobic exercise program on a cycle ergometer, with two low-intensity sessions and one high-intensity session per week, supported by ReVi. ReVi provides patients with real-time feedback on exercise intensity, collects heart rate (HR) data and enables monitoring from distance. <h3>Main Outcome Measures</h3> The usability of ReVi was evaluated with a self-developed questionnaire rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Adherence was described as the percentage of completed exercise sessions and the percentage of time within the prescribed target HR zones. <h3>Results</h3> All 4 subjects indicated that ReVi 1) is easy to use, 2) helped them to train within the prescribed target HR zones, and 3) motivated them to finish the exercise program. Two subjects reported technical problems using ReVi, but subjects were overall satisfied with its use. Subjects completed on average 98(range 96-100)% of exercise sessions and trained 86(78-96)% and 55(31-72)% of the time within the target HR zones for low- and high-intensity exercise, respectively. <h3>Conclusions</h3> ReVi showed high usability outcomes, but further development is needed to resolve technical issues. Adherence appears high for low-intensity exercise, but not for high-intensity exercise. <h3>Author(s) Disclosures</h3> None.