title: Effectiveness of an interactive virtual telerehabilitation system in patients after total knee arthoplasty: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effectiveness of a new interactive virtual telerehabilitation system and a conventional programme following total knee arthroplasty.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized, controlled, single-blind clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 142 total knee arthroplasty patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were randomly assigned to receive either: (i) conventional out-patient physical therapy; or (ii) interactive virtual telerehabilitation system. The main outcome was function assessed with active range of knee movement. Other variables, such as muscle strength, walk speed, pain and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index, were also collected. Comparisons were made on the basis of data collected routinely before surgery, at the end of the rehabilitation programme, and at 3 months follow-up. Quantitative variables were compared by Mann-Whitney U test. The agreed alpha risk for all hypothesis testing was 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Baseline characteristics between groups were comparable. All participants improved after the 2-week intervention on all outcome variables (p < 0.05). Patients in the interactive virtual telerehabilitation group achieved improvements in the functional variables similar to those achieved in the conventional therapy group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A 2-week interactive virtual telerehabilitation programme is at least as effective as conventional therapy. Telerehabilitation is a promising alternative to traditional face-to-face therapies after discharge from total knee arthroplasty, especially for those patients who have difficulty with transportation to rehabilitation centres.
authors.affiliation: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Parc de Salut Mar, 08024 Barcelona, Spain. 87615@hospitaldelmar.cat
authors.forename: Mercè
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piqueras
authors.forename: Ester
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marco
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coll
authors.forename: Ferran
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Escalada
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ballester
authors.forename: Carme
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cinca
authors.forename: Roser
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Belmonte
authors.forename: Josep M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Muniesa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D020127:Recovery of Function; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014584:User-Computer Interface