Can a Patient use an App at Home to Measure Knee Range of Motion? Utilizing a Mobile App, Curovate, to Improve Access and Adherence to Knee Range of Motion Measurements.
Nirtal Shah, Corey Grunberg, Zahra Hussain
PMID 35391859WHAT IT FOUND
In one healthy person, knee motion measured by a smartphone app correlated strongly with a therapist's goniometer readings across four devices.
This does not prove patients with knee injuries can measure themselves accurately at home without guidance.
Key findings
01The study tested knee range of motion measurement reliability in a single 23-year-old individual with no previous or current knee pathologies.
02Strong positive correlations were demonstrated across all mobile devices as well as mobile device measurements compared to standard goniometric measurements.
03The authors state these results are not generalizable to patients with knee injury and surgery.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study included only one healthy participant, so it does not show how the app performs in patients with knee injuries or surgeries. The measurements were taken in a controlled clinical setting with landmarks marked by a therapist, which does not reflect how a patient would place the device at home. The measurements were not blinded, and inter-rater reliability with a novice therapist or patient was not tested. The authors explicitly state the results are not generalizable to patients with knee pathology.
Declared interests
The paper does not report funding sources or conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume this app is accurate for patients measuring their own knees at home. The study used one healthy person in a controlled setting where a therapist marked the leg and placed the device, and the authors state these results are not generalizable to injured patients.