The Effectiveness of Digital Apps Providing Personalized Exercise Videos: Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Background: Among available digital apps, those providing personalized video exercises may be helpful for individuals undergoing functional rehabilitation.

Objective: We aimed to assess the effectiveness of apps providing personalized video exercises to support rehabilitation for people with short- and long-term disabling conditions, on functional capacity, confidence in exercise performance, health care consumption, health-related quality of life, adherence, and adverse events.

Methods: In this systematic review, we searched MEDLINE, CENTRAL, and Embase databases up to March 2022. All randomized controlled trials evaluating the effect of apps providing personalized video exercises to support rehabilitation for any condition requiring physical rehabilitation were included. Selection, extraction, and risk of bias assessment were performed by 2 independent reviewers. The primary outcome was functional capacity at the end of the intervention. The secondary outcomes included confidence in exercise performance, care consumption, health-related quality of life, adherence, and adverse events. A meta-analysis was performed where possible; the magnitude of the effect was assessed with the standardized mean difference (SMD).

Results: From 1641 identified references, 10 papers (n=1050 participants, 93% adults) were included: 7 papers (n=906 participants) concerned musculoskeletal disorders and 3 (n=144 participants) concerned neurological disorders. Two (n=332 participants) were employee based. The apps were mostly commercial (7/10); the videos were mostly elaborated on by a physiotherapist (8/10). The duration of app use was 3-48 weeks. All included studies had a high overall risk of bias. Low-quality evidence suggested that the use of apps providing personalized video exercises led to a significant small to moderate improvement in physical function (SMD 0.35, 95% CI 0.19-0.51; Phet=.86; I²=0%) and confidence in exercise performance (SMD 0.67; 95% CI 0.37-0.96; Phet=.22; I²=33%). Because of the very low quality of the evidence, the effects on quality of life and exercise adherence were uncertain. Apps did not influence the rate of adverse events.

Conclusions: Apps providing personalized video exercises to support exercise performance significantly improved physical function and confidence in exercise performance. However, the level of evidence was low; more robust studies are needed to confirm these results.

Trial registration: PROSPERO CRD42022323670; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=323670.

Keywords: HRQoL; QoL; adherence; app; digital care; disabilities; disability; exercise; exercise program; fitness; health app; meta-analyses; meta-analysis; physical activity; physical therapy; physiotherapy; quality of life; rehabilitation; review method; systematic review; telerehabilitation; web-based.