Physical therapists and public perceptions of telerehabilitation: An online open survey on acceptability, preferences, and needs.
Lívia G Fernandes, Rafael F F Oliveira, Pamela M Barros and 3 others
PMID 36410257WHAT IT FOUND
Brazilian therapists lacked confidence in telerehabilitation and doubted its effectiveness, while the public was willing to participate but feared losing hands-on correction.
Both groups preferred videoconferencing and viewed remote care as a supplement, not a replacement.
Key findings
01Only 52% of physical therapists felt confident delivering telerehabilitation, and 55% disagreed that it was as effective as in-person care.
02The general population was more open to remote care, with 60% confident and 77% willing to participate, though they worried about performing exercises incorrectly without physical guidance.
03Videoconferencing was the preferred mode of delivery for both therapists (42.4% for combination, 34.8% for video alone) and the public (41% for video alone).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The sample was recruited via social media, likely biasing results toward individuals with higher digital literacy and internet access. Data collection occurred during the early pandemic, when telerehabilitation was often the only option, potentially influencing perceptions. The survey was not validated, and responses were self-reported without objective measures of actual clinical outcomes. The sample was predominantly young, female, and based in São Paulo, limiting generalizability to other regions or demographics.
Declared interests
One author is the CEO of a startup developing telerehabilitation solutions, though he did not collect or analyze data. Another author is an advisor to the startup but received no financial support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the public's willingness to participate as evidence that telerehabilitation is clinically effective. The study measured perceptions, not outcomes, and therapists' own doubts about efficacy highlight that acceptance does not equal quality of care.