title: Home exercise program compliance of service members in the deployed environment: an observational cohort study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Home exercise programs (HEP) are an integral part of any physical therapy treatment plan, but are especially important in theater. The primary aim of this study was to determine if the number of exercises prescribed in a HEP was associated with compliance rate of Service Members (SM) in theater with a secondary aim of determining variables associated with compliance and noncompliance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects were 155 deployed SM undergoing physical therapy in Iraq and Afghanistan. Clinical evaluation and prescription of a HEP were performed. Pathologic, demographic, and treatment data were obtained. Subjects returned to the clinic 1 week later to demonstrate their HEP. Subjects' performance of each prescribed exercise was rated on a 12-point scale to quantify compliance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  2 variables were found to be significantly associated with rate of compliance. These were the number of exercises prescribed (p = 0.02) and if a subject left the base at least once per week (p = 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SM prescribed 4 or more exercises had a lower rate of compliance than those prescribed 2 or fewer. SM who left the base at least once per week also had a lower rate of compliance.
authors: Physical Therapy Department, U.S. Army Health Center, Vicenza, Italy, Unit 31403 Box 13 APO AE 09630.
authors: Timothy
authors: T
authors: Eckard
authors: Physical Therapy Department, Blanchfield Army Community Hospital, 650 Joel Drive, Fort Campbell, KY 42223.
authors: Joseph
authors: J
authors: Lopez
authors: Physical Therapy Department, Brooke Army Medical Center, 3551 Roger Brooke Drive, Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Kaus
authors: Department of Statistics and Epidemiology, Institute of Surgical Research, 3551 Roger Brooke Drive, Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234.
authors: James
authors: J
authors: Aden
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*