Efficiency and accessibility of physiotherapist-led real-time telerehabilitation in chronic low back pain: An interview study.

OBJECTIVE

Individually tailored exercise is the first-line treatment for chronic low back pain. Today, physiotherapists offer various forms of telerehabilitation, such as real-time exercise programmes via videoconferencing. However, these approaches have been sparsely studied. Knowledge of participants' experiences is limited, and a deeper understanding is essential for planning and implementing telerehabilitation. The aim of this study is to explore the experiences of individuals with chronic low back pain participating in exercise-based real-time group telerehabilitation.

METHODS

This study is part of an ongoing randomized controlled trial (n = 90) evaluating real-time group telerehabilitation compared to advice on physical activity. The intervention was delivered via Microsoft Teams™ twice weekly for three months. After the telerehabilitation intervention, a strategic sampling approach was applied, and 19 participants took part in semi-structured interviews. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS

The analysis resulted in four categories and 11 sub-categories. The categories were: conditions influencing the telerehabilitation experience, a tailored telerehabilitation programme, the dual nature of remote interaction, and enhanced physical function and well-being. These categories led to an overarching theme: real-time telerehabilitation was efficient and accessible.

CONCLUSION

This interview study shows that physiotherapist-led real-time group telerehabilitation is perceived as efficient and accessible, though not without challenges. These findings enhance our understanding of telerehabilitation and suggest that telerehabilitation may complement conventional rehabilitation, offering comparable efficiency while improving accessibility.