How AI-Based Digital Rehabilitation Improves End-User Adherence: Rapid Review.
Mahsa MohammadNamdar, Michael Lowery Wilson, Kari-Pekka Murtonen and 3 others
PMID 40811691WHAT IT FOUND
AI tools like wearables and apps may boost rehab adherence through reminders, feedback, and personalization.
However, the evidence comes from only six small studies with high bias risk, so clinicians should view these benefits as promising but unproven.
Key findings
01Six studies met eligibility criteria, comprising three RCTs, two pilots, and one proof-of-concept, with participant counts ranging from 6 to 500.
02AI improved adherence through six mechanisms: motivation, communication, personalization, usability, reminders, and objective measurement.
03Two of the three randomized trials had a high overall risk of bias, and the review notes that unblinded designs and small samples complicate definitive conclusions.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
Only six studies were included, and most were small pilots or proof-of-concept trials rather than large definitive tests. Two of the three randomized trials had a high risk of bias, and the review itself was a rapid review rather than a full systematic review. Adherence was measured differently in every study, making it hard to compare results or determine which AI features work best. Many participants were healthy adults or those already comfortable with smartphones, so results may not apply to older or more disabled patients.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume AI tools are proven to improve rehabilitation adherence. The review included only six small studies, most with high risk of bias or no control group, so the reported benefits are preliminary and not yet confirmed by robust evidence.