Physical Therapy for Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19 in Isolation: Feasibility and Pilot Implementation of Telehealth for Delivering Individualized Therapy.
Michael Turcinovic, Rufino Singson, Matthew Harrigan and 5 others
PMID 33619469WHAT IT FOUND
Hospitalized patients isolated with COVID-19 could receive physical therapy by video on their own smart device.
In 32 patients who completed a telehealth session, function improved from admission to discharge but stayed below premorbid levels.
Key findings
01Of 39 patients who agreed to join, 32 completed at least one telehealth physical therapy session.
02For 19 participants with discharge scores, basic mobility improved by a mean 2.5 points from admission, but function remained below premorbid scores.
03Seven of the 39 enrolled patients withdrew before completing a telehealth session for technical, motor, availability, preference, discharge, or death reasons.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study was a small feasibility pilot, not a trial comparing telehealth with standard in-person-only physical therapy. All participants received both in-person and telehealth physical therapy, so the contribution of telehealth alone cannot be separated. Only patients who had their own smart device, could follow commands, and could use it independently were included, so results do not apply to patients without devices, with poor fine motor skills, or with difficulty following commands. Discharge function was missing for 13 of 32 participants, and outcomes were not captured after discharge. Illness severity, sex, and age were not controlled, and demographic data were limited. The sample was a convenience sample, so it may not represent all hospitalized patients with COVID-19.
Declared interests
The physical therapy team's iPads were acquired through a philanthropic gift. The funders played no role in the design, conduct, or reporting of the study.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that telehealth physical therapy caused the functional improvement. Participants also received in-person physical therapy, and the report did not compare this hybrid model with standard in-person-only physical therapy.