The Effect of Telerehabilitation in Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain

The Effect of Telerehabilitation on Clinical Results, Patient Expectation, Motivation and Satisfaction Level in Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain

Telerehabilitation enables patients to easily adapt to home exercise programs and to be monitored remotely by their clinicians. The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of the home exercise program, which is integrated into 8-week remote asynchronous video telerehabilitation sessions, on clinical status in terms of pain, functionality, quality of life parameters, as well as patient expectation, motivation, and satisfaction levels.

Low back pain is symptomatic pathology in the region between the twelve ribs and lower gluteal line defined as the lumbar region and sometimes accompanied by radicular symptoms spreading to the lower extremity, but it is not considered as a pathology alone. They are evaluated and treated on the basis of symptom duration, potential cause, the presence or absence of radicular symptoms, and the corresponding anatomical or radiographic abnormalities. Exercise is considered an essential element in the management of physical therapy and rehabilitation in patients with chronic low back pain. However, it has been found in the studies that improvements after physical therapy and rehabilitation applications are not preserved in the long term, and recurrence of chronic low back pain is common. In order to prevent this, physiotherapists need to follow their patients for a long time and to participate in the rehabilitation process. With a more cost-effective treatment model such as telerehabilitation, patients can be followed up more efficiently during home exercise. The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of the home exercise program, which is integrated into 8-week remote asynchronous video telerehabilitation sessions, on clinical status in terms of pain, functionality, quality of life parameters, as well as patient expectation, motivation, and satisfaction levels.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male and female patients aged 18-65
• Patients who have complained of low back pain for at least 3 months
• Pain and numbness that does not spread to the legs

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with cognitive disorders or communications problems to complete assessments or treatment interventions.
• Individuals who have undergone surgical operations on the spine and/or extremities
• Specific pathological conditions (e.g. malignancy, fracture, systemic rheumatoid disease)
• Orthopedic and neurological problems that prevent evaluation and/or treatment
• Complaints of pain and numbness spreading to the lower extremities
• Individuals with a diagnosed psychiatric illness
• Individuals who have received physiotherapy in the last 6 months
• Individuals who use another treatment method during the study
• Individuals with musculoskeletal pain in any other part of the body during work
• Pregnancy