Effects of physical activity interventions using wearables to improve objectively-measured and patient-reported outcomes in adults following orthopaedic surgical procedures: A systematic review

Abstract

Objective To synthesize evidence on physical activity interventions that used wearables, either alone or in combination with education or rehabilitation, in adults following orthopaedic surgical procedures. Methods PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO and EMBASE were searched for randomized controlled trials of wearable-based interventions from each database’s inception to August 2021 in patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery. Relevant outcomes included physical activity, physical function, pain, psychological distress, or general health. PEDro scale scoring ranges from 0 to 10 and was used to appraise studies as high (≥7), moderate (5–6), or poor (<5) quality. Results Of 335 articles identified, 6 articles met eligibility criteria. PEDro scores ranged from 2 to 6, with 3 studies of moderate quality and 3 of poor quality. Studies included patients undergoing total knee (number; n = 4) or total knee or hip (n = 1) arthroplasty and lumbar disc herniation surgery (n = 1). In addition to wearables, intervention components included step diary (n = 2), motivational interviewing (n = 1), goal setting (n = 2), tailored exercise program (n = 2), or financial incentives (n = 1). Interventions were delivered in-person (n = 2), remotely (n = 3) or in a hybrid format (n = 1). Intervention duration ranged from 6 weeks to 6 months. Compared to controls, 3 moderate quality studies reported greater improvement in steps/day; however, 1 moderate and 2 poor quality studies showed no between-group difference in physical function, pain, or quality of life. No serious adverse events related to the use of wearable were reported. Conclusions The effects of physical activity interventions using wearables, either delivered in-person or remotely, appear promising for increasing steps per day after joint arthroplasty; however, this finding should be viewed with caution since it is based on 3 moderate quality studies. Further research is needed to determine the therapeutic effects of using wearables as an intervention component in patients undergoing other orthopaedic surgical procedures. Trial registration PROSPERO Registration Number: CRD42020186103

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“…Las plataformas no sólo prometen ayudar a las personas a buscar un estilo de vida más saludable, sino que también proporciona datos médicos continuos para rastrear activamente el estado metabólico, diagnóstico y tratamiento. Estos dispositivos se pueden configurar para hacer contacto epidérmico, ocular, intracoclear y dental para recoger señales bioquímicas o electrofisiológicas 32 , siendo características favorables para monitorear de manera confiable la información biomédica y fisiológica 33 .…”

Wearable Sensors in Other Medical Domains with Application Potential for Orthopedic Trauma Surgery—A Narrative Review

“…Furthermore, wearable systems have the potential to increase the activity of users through feedback systems that positively influence treatment outcome [ 52 ]. This form of self-directed rehabilitation can strengthen motivation and thus individual self-efficacy, potentially increasing the quality-of-life outcome after injury [ 53 , 98 ].…”

Problems and Opportunities of a Smartphone-Based Care Management Platform: Application of the Wald Principles to a Survey-Based Analysis of Patients’ Perception in a Pilot Center

“…Numerous mHealth systems incorporate wearable devices that gather pre-and postoperative data, which are unaffected by recall bias and can be collected continuously in a passive manner [7,14,15].…”

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