TY - JOUR
T1 - Feasibility of a stratified blended physiotherapy intervention for patients with non-specific low back pain
T2 - a mixed methods study
AU - van Tilburg, Mark L.
AU - Kloek, Corelien J.J.
AU - Staal, J. Bart
AU - Bossen, Daniël
AU - Veenhof, Cindy
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Scientific College Physical Therapy (WCF) of the Royal Dutch Society for Physical Therapy (KNGF).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
PY - 2022/2/1
Y1 - 2022/2/1
N2 - Introduction: Integrating web-based or mobile components and face-to-face components within a treatment process is called blended care. As part of the participatory development of a blended physiotherapeutic intervention for patients with low back pain (e-Exercise LBP), a proof of concept study was carried out and showed promising results. Objective: To investigate the feasibility of the e-Exercise LBP prototype for patients and physiotherapists to improve the intervention. Methods: A mixed methods study was executed, embedded in the development phase of e-Exercise LBP. 21 physiotherapists treated 41 patients with e-Exercise LBP. Quantitative data consisted of: patients’ satisfaction on a five-point Likert Scale; patients’ and physiotherapists’ experienced usability of the web-based application (System Usability Scale) and; patients’ experiences with e-Exercise LBP (closed-ended questions and statements related to the elements and goals of e-Exercise LBP). Semi-structured interviews about experiences with e-Exercise LBP were conducted with seven patients and seven physiotherapists. Qualitative data were analyzed by a phenomenological approach. Quantitative data were analyzed with descriptive statistics. Results: Patients were satisfied with e-Exercise LBP (mean: 4.0; SD:0.8; range: extreme dissatisfaction (1)-extreme satisfaction (5)). Usability of the web-based application was acceptable (patients: mean: 73.2 (SD:16.3); physiotherapists: mean: 63.3 (SD:12.0); range: 0–100). Interviews revealed that physiotherapists’ training is essential to successfully integrate the web-based application and face-to-face sessions within physiotherapy treatment. Also, patients addressed the need of reminder messages to support long-term (exercise) adherence. Conclusion: e-Exercise LBP appeared to be feasible. However, various prerequisites and points of improvement were mentioned to improve physiotherapists’ training and the prototype.
AB - Introduction: Integrating web-based or mobile components and face-to-face components within a treatment process is called blended care. As part of the participatory development of a blended physiotherapeutic intervention for patients with low back pain (e-Exercise LBP), a proof of concept study was carried out and showed promising results. Objective: To investigate the feasibility of the e-Exercise LBP prototype for patients and physiotherapists to improve the intervention. Methods: A mixed methods study was executed, embedded in the development phase of e-Exercise LBP. 21 physiotherapists treated 41 patients with e-Exercise LBP. Quantitative data consisted of: patients’ satisfaction on a five-point Likert Scale; patients’ and physiotherapists’ experienced usability of the web-based application (System Usability Scale) and; patients’ experiences with e-Exercise LBP (closed-ended questions and statements related to the elements and goals of e-Exercise LBP). Semi-structured interviews about experiences with e-Exercise LBP were conducted with seven patients and seven physiotherapists. Qualitative data were analyzed by a phenomenological approach. Quantitative data were analyzed with descriptive statistics. Results: Patients were satisfied with e-Exercise LBP (mean: 4.0; SD:0.8; range: extreme dissatisfaction (1)-extreme satisfaction (5)). Usability of the web-based application was acceptable (patients: mean: 73.2 (SD:16.3); physiotherapists: mean: 63.3 (SD:12.0); range: 0–100). Interviews revealed that physiotherapists’ training is essential to successfully integrate the web-based application and face-to-face sessions within physiotherapy treatment. Also, patients addressed the need of reminder messages to support long-term (exercise) adherence. Conclusion: e-Exercise LBP appeared to be feasible. However, various prerequisites and points of improvement were mentioned to improve physiotherapists’ training and the prototype.
KW - feasibility
KW - Low back pain
KW - physical therapy modalities
KW - telemedicine
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85085330323&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/09593985.2020.1756015
DO - 10.1080/09593985.2020.1756015
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85085330323
SN - 0959-3985
VL - 38
SP - 286
EP - 298
JO - Physiotherapy Theory and Practice
JF - Physiotherapy Theory and Practice
IS - 2
ER -