The effect of video exercise-based telerehabilitation on clinical outcomes, expectation, satisfaction, and motivation in patients with chronic low back pain

Background: The efficacy of exercise-based telerehabilitation in chronic low back pain (CLBP) has not been well studied. To our knowledge, no other studies have investigated the efficacy of video exercise–based telerehabilitation software in the remote management of home exercises in patients with CLBP. Aims: The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of the video-based exercise software on pain, function, quality-of-life, expectation, satisfaction, and motivation in individuals with CLBP. Methods: A double-blind, two-armed randomized controlled trial was carried out with 50 individuals with CLBP. Participants were randomly allocated to either the telerehabilitation group (n = 25) or the conventional rehabilitation group (n = 25). The telerehabilitation group was followed up with a video exercise–based telerehabilitation software called Fizyoweb. The clinician was able to communicate with the patients through the software. The conventional rehabilitation group was given the same home exercises as the paper-based exercise instruction form. Pain, function, quality-of-life, and kinesiophobia were evaluated at baseline and after 8 weeks of intervention. In addition, patient expectations were questioned at the initial evaluation; afterward, patient satisfaction and motivation were questioned at the eighth week. Results: After 8 weeks of treatment, the telerehabilitation group achieved significant improvement in pain, function, quality-of-life, kinesiophobia, satisfaction, and motivation (p < 0.05). In addition, the telerehabilitation group reported more significant gains in all parameters compared with the conventional rehabilitation group (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The video exercise–based telerehabilitation software positively affects clinical parameters and adherence to rehabilitation in patients with CLBP.