Efficacy of telehealth core exercises during COVID-19 after bariatric surgery: a randomized controlled trial.
Olfat I Ali, Osama R Abdelraouf, Amira M El-Gendy and 4 others
PMID 35904308WHAT IT FOUND
Eight weeks of telehealth-supervised core exercises improved core endurance, balance, and walking distance in patients six months after bariatric surgery.
The control group, who did not perform the exercises, showed no significant changes in these outcomes.
Key findings
01The telehealth core exercise group showed significant improvements in core endurance tests, postural stability indices, and aerobic capacity after 8 weeks.
02The control group, which did not perform core exercises, showed no significant differences in measured outcomes after 8 weeks.
03Significant differences were found between the study group and the control group in all measured outcomes after 8 weeks.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study only assessed short-term effects over eight weeks, so the long-term sustainability of these improvements is unknown. The exercise program was limited to basic movements because advanced tools like unstable surfaces were not available in patients' homes. The findings apply specifically to patients at least six months post-bariatric surgery and may not generalize to other populations. The study was single-blinded, meaning participants knew which group they were assigned to, which could influence their effort or reporting.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume these results apply to patients immediately after surgery or to those with different medical conditions. The program was specifically designed for individuals at least six months post-bariatric surgery and requires adaptation before use in other populations.