Home Exercise Adherence in Physical Therapy

Effectiveness of Individualized Video Recordings Versus Conventional Printed Instructions on Home Exercise Program Adherence in Physical Therapy

The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of an individualized video recording in improving adherence in home exercise programs for orthopaedic physical therapy patients.

Specific aims:

1. Evaluate whether individualized video recordings improve adherence with home exercise programs (HEP) as compared with conventional printed instructions measured by a self-report exercise log. (1-tail analysis)

This investigation will focus on the specific issues surrounding adherence to the use of individualized video recordings via smartphone versus conventional printed instructions in patients with orthopaedic injuries. The data reported will be used to explore the feasibility and potential benefits of smartphone usage for home exercise adherence.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Participants who can read and understand the English language,
• adults between 18-65 years of age,
• have a referral to an outpatient physical therapy clinic for an orthopaedic condition, and
• who own a smartphone with video recording capabilities and available data storage space (at least 500 MB or 0.5 GB).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Individuals referred for non-orthopaedic conditions,
• individuals currently on an established, prescribed home exercise program,
• individuals requiring more than 4 home exercises at one time as part of their rehabilitation program, and
• individuals who do not own a smartphone device with the required storage and recording specifications.