Evaluating a Mobile App for In-Bed Exercises to Improve Recovery After Orthopedic Surgery in Adults

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating a mobile application designed to improve rehabilitation outcomes for patients recovering from orthopedic surgeries such as hip fracture fixation, spinal fusion, and total knee or hip arthroplasty. This study focuses on patients over 65 years old who have adequate cognitive status and access to a mobile phone. The goal is to enhance conditioning, mobility, and physical therapy performance by supplementing inpatient rehabilitation with app-prompted exercises, addressing the challenges of poor mobility and high morbidity in this population. The study involves a randomized, single-blind design comparing usual postoperative care alone to usual care plus the use of a mobile app that sets reminders for in-bed conditioning exercises. The app adjusts exercise difficulty based on patient feedback to facilitate physical therapy performance. The initial phase will enroll 15 patients in a pilot study, with plans to expand to a larger trial including 50 participants in each group. All participants receive standard postoperative care those in the experimental group also use the app during their hospital stay. Participants will be monitored from postoperative day 1 through discharge, typically around days 3 to 5. Assessments include changes in physical therapy performance, patient satisfaction, exercise compliance, app usage, pain scores, length of hospital stay, and feedback from physical therapists. Safety will be observed for up to 90 days postoperatively. The total study duration per participant corresponds with the hospital stay and follow-up periods, with evaluations conducted during and after the inpatient phase.

Evaluating the Efficacy of a Mobile Application in Postoperative Rehabilitation