Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2022 Feb 15;17(2):e0263562.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263562. eCollection 2022.

Effects of physical activity interventions using wearables to improve objectively-measured and patient-reported outcomes in adults following orthopaedic surgical procedures: A systematic review

Hiral Master  1   2 , Jordan A Bley  1 , Rogelio A Coronado  1   3 , Payton E Robinette  1 , Daniel K White  4 , Jacquelyn S Pennings  1 , Kristin R Archer  1   3
Affiliations

Effects of physical activity interventions using wearables to improve objectively-measured and patient-reported outcomes in adults following orthopaedic surgical procedures: A systematic review

Hiral Master et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Objective: To synthesize evidence on physical activity interventions that used wearables, either alone or in combination with education or rehabilitation, in adults following orthopaedic surgical procedures.

Methods: PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO and EMBASE were searched for randomized controlled trials of wearable-based interventions from each database's inception to August 2021 in patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery. Relevant outcomes included physical activity, physical function, pain, psychological distress, or general health. PEDro scale scoring ranges from 0 to 10 and was used to appraise studies as high (≥7), moderate (5-6), or poor (<5) quality.

Results: Of 335 articles identified, 6 articles met eligibility criteria. PEDro scores ranged from 2 to 6, with 3 studies of moderate quality and 3 of poor quality. Studies included patients undergoing total knee (number; n = 4) or total knee or hip (n = 1) arthroplasty and lumbar disc herniation surgery (n = 1). In addition to wearables, intervention components included step diary (n = 2), motivational interviewing (n = 1), goal setting (n = 2), tailored exercise program (n = 2), or financial incentives (n = 1). Interventions were delivered in-person (n = 2), remotely (n = 3) or in a hybrid format (n = 1). Intervention duration ranged from 6 weeks to 6 months. Compared to controls, 3 moderate quality studies reported greater improvement in steps/day; however, 1 moderate and 2 poor quality studies showed no between-group difference in physical function, pain, or quality of life. No serious adverse events related to the use of wearable were reported.

Conclusions: The effects of physical activity interventions using wearables, either delivered in-person or remotely, appear promising for increasing steps per day after joint arthroplasty; however, this finding should be viewed with caution since it is based on 3 moderate quality studies. Further research is needed to determine the therapeutic effects of using wearables as an intervention component in patients undergoing other orthopaedic surgical procedures.

Trial registration: PROSPERO Registration Number: CRD42020186103.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Flow chart of studies included in this review.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Yoshihara H, Yoneoka D. National trends in the surgical treatment for lumbar degenerative disc disease: United States, 2000 to 2009. Spine J. 2015;15(2):265–271. doi: 10.1016/j.spinee.2014.09.026 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Weinstein AM, Rome BN, Reichmann WM, Collins JE, Burbine SA, Thornhill TS, et al.. Estimating the burden of total knee replacement in the United States. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2013;95(5):385–392 doi: 10.2106/JBJS.L.00206 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Martin BI, Mirza SK, Spina N, Spiker WR, Lawrence B, Brodke DS. Trends in lumbar fusion procedure rates and associated hospital costs for degenerative spinal diseases in the United States, 2004 to 2015. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2019;44(5):369–376. doi: 10.1097/BRS.0000000000002822 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Smuck M, Muaremi A, Zheng P, Norden J, Sinha A, Hu R, et al.. Objective measurement of function following lumbar spinal stenosis decompression reveals improved functional capacity with stagnant real-life physical activity. Spine J. 2018;18(1):15–21. doi: 10.1016/j.spinee.2017.08.262 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Mancuso CA, Duculan R, Girardi FP. Healthy physical activity levels below recommended thresholds two years after lumbar spine surgery. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2017;42(4):E241–E247. doi: 10.1097/BRS.0000000000001757 - DOI - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms